


Desperate Times, Desperate Measures

by WritingsoftheRainbow



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Succubi & Incubi, But She's Good at Being a Demon, But not the sex, Catra (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, Demons, F/F, Gay Panic, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Lesbian Disaster Adora (She-Ra), Mild Sexual Content, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Seduction, Sexual Content, Sexual Fantasy, Shadow Weaver is Not a Good Person, Slow Burn, Succubi & Incubi, for now, the romance is a slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:46:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 27,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21738568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritingsoftheRainbow/pseuds/WritingsoftheRainbow
Summary: Adora took a good, hard look at what decisions she had made to land herself here. Well, for one, she hadn’t had her more...intimate needs truly satisfied in a long, long time now. And as a twenty-something, red-blooded woman, her body had its wants. Sure, she touched herself every now and again to take the edge off. But somehow, the idea of having a more...exhilarating kind of one night stand had gotten in her head. So here she was, ready to try and summon a succubus, of all things. It was more out of curiosity than anything, the blonde told herself. She wasn’t that desperate. Right?
Relationships: Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 232
Kudos: 865





	1. Chapter 1

Adora could almost hear what was left of her dignity giving its last, dying breath as she tossed the book onto her bed. She sat down on the bed’s edge and held the book in her hands. It was roughly the size of an encyclopedia, with a black leather cover and a fine layer of dust coating its surface. Engraved on its front was its title; “Demons and How to Summon Them”.

As Adora opened the book and flipped through its contents, she took a good, hard look at what decisions she had made to land herself here. Well, for one, she hadn’t had her more...intimate needs truly satisfied in a long, _long_ time now, ever since she broke up with her last partner almost a year ago. And as a twenty-something, red-blooded woman, her body had its wants. Sure, she touched herself every now and again to take the edge off. But somehow, the idea of having a more...exhilarating kind of one night stand had gotten in her head. So here she was, ready to try and summon a succubus, of all things. It was more out of curiosity than anything, the blonde told herself. She wasn’t _that_ desperate, right?

 _This is ridiculous,_ she thought, not for the first time that day. Maybe the fact that she was seriously planning on going through with this showed just how desperate she really was. But then, desperate situations call for desperate measures. And besides, chances were that this wouldn’t even work. 

Adora stopped at a chapter titled “Sensual Demons: Succubi and Incubi”. There it was. On the right was what appeared to be a hand-drawn sketch of a beautiful, naked woman, a pair of horns like that of an antelope atop her head. To the left was as follows:

_In common mythology and folklore, the succubus most often takes the form of a beautiful woman in order to seduce its victims. They search for willing victims, and will not force someone to mate with them, choosing instead to play the game of seduction with their prey. Reports of encounters with a succubus describe the demon as having been the most enchanting person they’ve ever met, although sometimes the victim feels that something is off with the succubus even despite them masking their true appearance to appear more human-like. Reports also say that while the consequences of succumbing to the demoness’ charms are high, the intercourse itself has been known to be one of immense, otherworldly pleasure._

_Once they have had sexual intercourse with their prey, the victim, in their tired and more vulnerable state, will pay the price that the succubus demands. What this price is varies from account to account. Sometimes the victim’s entire soul is taken, sometimes only a part of it, and sometimes it’s something different altogether. In fact, a few reports claim that nothing was taken from them afterwards, and they only realized they had even slept with a succubus much later after. Written below are the steps to summoning a succubus, if one should desire to do so:_

Adora paused, thinking over what she had just read. Succubi were demons, so of course she expected that they would take a victim’s soul after they had had their fun with them. However, that last part about some victims facing no consequences whatsoever gave Adora a spark of hope. Even if this...ritual really did work, and she managed to actually summon a succubus, then perhaps she wouldn’t have to lose anything from it. She read on.

_1\. The summoner should set the proper mood for summoning a demon as sensual as a succubus. This may include lighting candles, burning incense, or anything else to get you in the mood for the ritual. It is recommended that the ritual is performed late at night, and in a mostly dark room._

_2\. For protection, make a circle on the floor with white chalk or white thread. If you are using candles, arrange them around this circle._

_3\. Lay down in the center of this circle and make yourself comfortable. Let your breathing grow deep, and once your mind and body are relaxed, picture in your mind’s eye what it would be like to be with the succubus. Imagine being touched by them, and having sexual intercourse with the most sensual of paranormal beings._

_4\. Let your mind dwell on these images for as long as you feel necessary, and when you are ready, open your eyes. It is best to go right to sleep after the ritual is performed. The succubus will most likely appear to you the next day, and begin its game of seduction. However long that lasts and what you choose to do once it had begun is up to you._

Adora ran a hand through her hair and sighed. Maybe this was a stupid decision, and maybe she was just wasting her time, but she couldn’t deny that she was awfully curious now. In the end, Adora was never one to back down from what she had her mind set on, and she had gone this far. She wasn’t going to give up now, so she might as well go all in.

First things first, she had to gather the materials needed. It was early July, so she had a few more hours before it would be dark outside. She went out to the store and picked up some white thread, along with a few candles and some incense. Normally, when she pictured demonic rituals, there were black candles arranged in a pentagram, with a few satanists wearing black cloaks inside, but the book hadn’t mentioned any specifics about candles or incense, just that it should “set the mood”. So Adora picked out some that smelled of rose, jasmine, and cinnamon, her favorite smells. 

When Adora got back, there was still an hour before darkness fell, so she worked out for a while to keep her mind occupied and kill some time. Exercise had always been Adora’s go-to distraction when she needed to get her mind off of something, but this time she found that even that couldn’t drive away the mix of emotions she was feeling towards her nightly plans. She couldn’t quite pin down exactly how she was feeling. It was somewhere between embarrassed, nervous, and excited. This would be one thing to check off her bucket list, certainly.

Soon enough, though, the time came. Adora laid the thread out in a large circle, and arranged the candles around at intervals. She lit the candles and burned the incense, left the book nearby just in case, and lied down inside the circle. She shut her eyes, and in realizing that her heart was pounding, she consciously slowed down her breathing. _I’m just doing this to see what happens,_ she told herself. _For curiosity’s sake. I’m okay. I’m safe. I’m alright._

With her nerves somewhat put at ease, Adora relaxed. She let her thoughts wander for a second or two, before bringing to mind the images depicted in the book. She pictured kissing some beautiful, faceless woman, locked in a fit of passion and lust. She imagined pulling her onto the bed with her, imagined having the clothes torn off of her and ripping the woman’s off in exchange. She let herself get lost in it, in the image of having her face between her legs, her mouth and lips, and she subconsciously noticed heat pooling in her stomach, in her cheeks and between her legs.

Adora wasn’t sure how long she spent caught up in this surprisingly vivid fantasy, even compared to the ones conjured up in lonely nights, the ones she spent under her sheets with her hand between her legs and her mind in the pits of arousal. She had to resist the urge to satisfy the neediness she felt now. She remembered from her additional research that succubi liked to tease, and you weren’t supposed to pleasure yourself until the succubus showed themselves. They wanted to give, and to take, it themselves.

Eventually, slowly, Adora opened her eyes. She sat up, scanning the room as if she’d find a portal to another dimension right in her bedroom. Nothing seemed to be any different, however. That is, besides the aching arousal that had set up shop low in her body. Adora glanced at the clock. 10:02. She didn’t have anything else to do that night, and besides, the book said it would be best to sleep right after the ritual. So, after cleaning up the thread, candles, and incense, she threw on a tanktop and shorts and climbed into bed. Fortunately, the arousal was mostly gone by the time she did, but that odd mixture of feelings wasn’t. It felt unsatisfying for there to be no but she knew she would have to wait until tomorrow. Her mind raced with the possibility of what the next day would hold for her, and while it took a little bit, she fell asleep, head filled with thoughts of demons in angelic bodies.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Adora meets a rather...interesting someone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy (belated) Christmas, everyone! I intended to get this out on Christmas day, but oh well. 
> 
> This wasn't edited as thoroughly as I might've liked, so apologies for any grammar or spelling mistakes.
> 
> Anyways, enjoy!
> 
> (The drink name “Wildcat” is from LilLegalLoli94’s work, Dirty Dancing. Check it out if you haven’t already, it’s great.)

To Adora’s mixed disappointment and relief (but mostly disappointment), no mysterious, seductive woman showed up in her life the next day. Or the day after, or the day after that. Four days after she had performed the ritual, Adora gave up any hope that something would happen. What had she been expecting, she asked herself bitterly. Of course nothing happened. All that witchy, magic stuff was just a load of crap, and she was an idiot for thinking anything would have come from it. A part of her was embarrassed, even, that she had put so much trust and effort into something, only for it to fail miserably. 

The rest of the week passed as usual, with no demonic interruptions whatsoever. Adora spent her days at the gym as a fitness trainer, and spent her evenings hanging out with her friends Bow and Glimmer. She decided not to tell them of her recent venture into the paranormal, for fear of being teased or seen as nuts. In fact, she decided she wouldn’t tell anyone about it for as long as she lived. Maybe if it had worked, and she had some tangible evidence to show for it, she might have told them. But it hadn’t, and so she vowed to take the incident to her grave.

That weekend, the three took a trip to the beach. As expected for that time of year, the beach was pretty crowded, but the Best Friend Trio managed to snatch a good spot pretty close to the water. They had a great time, and while Bow and Glimmer didn’t know it, it helped get Adora’s mind off of the failed summoning, and she found herself having fun. In fact, it took her mind off of all of her sexual endeavors for the time being, unsuccessful or otherwise. 

That is, until around mid-afternoon. The three were out in the high tide, the cold water up to their knees as they tossed a frisbee around. They had never done this before, and when Bow suggested it, Adora’s eyes practically lit up. She never could resist a friendly challenge, and if that meant catching and throwing the green plastic disk from a ridiculous distance just to see how far they could go, then so be it. 

Adora tossed the frisbee with a flick of her wrist, but instead of sailing straight across to Bow and Glimmer, the wind took it off course. It swerved in midair, veering off to the left and hitting a woman walking along the shoreline square in the head. Adora immediately ran over, apologizing profusely.

“I’m sorry ma’am, that was an accident, are you alright?” Rubbing the spot on her head where she’s been hit, the woman lifted her head, and Adora felt the air leave her lungs.  _ Holy shit. _

The first thing Adora noticed about her was her eyes. One was blue, the other a gleaming yellow. She had long, wild brown hair, like a mane, and a smattering of freckles across her tan face. She was wearing a black crop top and matching shorts. All in all, she was absolutely  _ gorgeous _ , and in light of this observation, Adora momentarily forgot what words were. 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she said. And her  _ voice,  _ too. It was low and husky and  _ why  _ did Adora have to have accidentally hit someone this attractive?   


Said attractive woman raised an eyebrow, waving a hand in front of Adora’s face. “Hey, are you there?” Adora blinked, coming to her senses and realizing that  _ oh god, she had been staring _ . As far as first impressions went, this was not her best. 

“Oh, yeah, sorry,” she said with a nervous laugh, her cheeks warming. Hot Girl’s lips curved into a smirk, and it made Adora’s heart flutter. Adora, having no idea what else to say and certain she’d combust if she continued talking with her, was about to turn and leave when the woman stopped her.

“What’s your name, cutie? Never think I got it.” Her tone was so casual and friendly, for someone whose words, despite being somewhat unremarkable, were making her heart pound in her chest. And--wait, did she just call Adora  _ cute? _

“Uh, it’s Adora,” she answered. “And you?” Hot Girl smiled, and Adora was certain that her cheeks were completely red by now, and not just from being somewhat sunburnt.

“Catra,” she said. “It was nice meeting you, Adora.” Catra started to walk away, and looked back over her shoulder at the blonde to add, “Hope to see you around,” before walking away down the shoreline.

Adora, being the useless lesbian she was and still processing what had just happened, stood in place for maybe a few seconds longer, before remembering what she had been doing in the first place. She turned around and jogged back into the water. When she looked up and got ready to throw the disk back to Glimmer, she saw the grins on her friends faces. She lowered the frisbee.

“What?” she asked, even though she knew exactly why they were looking at her like that.

“Someone’s blushiiiing,” Glimmer teased. “Tell me, what’s it like to hit a hot girl in the head with a frisbee the first time you meet her?” Adora sighed and shook her head, but the smile on her face betrayed her feigned annoyance. "Oh, be quiet," she said.   
  
_ Cute, _ she thought, tossing the frisbee back to the other two.  _ She said I was cute.  _ Adora’s smile grew wider, feeling pleased and absentmindedly wondering if she’d see Catra again.

Needless to say, she would.

The next day, Adora decided she would go for a morning jog. Donning a red tank top and a pair of athletic shorts, she headed out into the warm morning air. She was usually used to dressing a little heavier on her morning runs, but in the heat of July even the coldest time of the day was warm enough for her current attire.

The thing Adora liked about exercise as that it kept her occupied, but at the same time it didn't require hardly any thought. All she had to focus on was keeping herself moving, reaching the next street, and then the next, and the next, with ease as her body and mind shook off the early-morning dreariness.

The blonde rounded a corner, preparing to look back around to her house. She had gotten maybe a quarter of the way down the street when she spotted someone up ahead, walking down the street. As she got closer, more details of the figure came into view, including the fact that she was probably wearing even less than Adora had on. Adora had just realized who she was looking at when the woman met her eyes and smiled.

"Hey, Adora," Catra said once she was close enough to the blonde, although it was more like a purr, her voice low and velvety. Adora stopped in her tracks, figuring that it wouldn't hurt to pause a moment or two and talk with her. She smiled at the dark-haired woman. She looked like she had just gotten up, what with her long hair being slightly messy, but in a way that only made her look even better in Adora’s eyes.

“Hey,” she returned, catching her breath and telling herself that she was breathless only because she had been running, and definitely not because Catra was looking at her with lidded eyes and the same smirk that adorned her face the day before. Adora could feel Catra’s gaze travel over her probably sweaty body, lingering on several spots. She suppressed a pleasant shiver at how having Catra’s eyes on her like this made her feel, and she chose to ignore the warmth that darted between her legs. 

“So, do you usually go on runs this early in the morning?” Catra asked, reaching a hand up to move a few strands of hair out of her face. 

“Um, yeah, I get up pretty early most days,” Adora said. Part of her wanted to try and flirt back with Catra after the brunette had literally  _ checked out  _ the blonde, or to return some playful banter, or to do anything but just endure mundane small talk with her. But Adora had learned the hard way that when someone easily made her flustered, she wasn’t the smoothest at returning flirtatious gestures. And besides, she’d rather not do anything at all than seem too desperate or come on too strong.    


“Somehow, I’m not surprised,” Catra said with a small chuckle, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “You must go to the gym a lot, to get as toned as you are.” Adora lit up, with pride and the compliment.

“I’m actually a fitness trainer at the gym, so yeah, I guess you could say I go there a lot,” Adora replied, smiling. Catra returned the smile. Her eyes grew dark once more as they flickered over Adora’s body once more, quicker this time, as though trying to be discreet about it. But Adora didn’t miss how her gaze darted over her arms and legs. 

“Well, it definitely looks good on you,” Catra said. Adora felt an echo of her previous...excitement fill her heart, and her smile grew wider. 

“By the way, I’m sorry for...hitting you the other day,” Adora apologized. “I’m usually better with frisbees than that.” Catra laughed, and Adora could practically feel the low, happy sound in her heart. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been this attracted to someone, and so quickly, too. And especially not someone who seemed to return the feelings. 

“It’s alright.” Catra took a step closer, and Adora expected herself to take an instinctive, subtle step back to keep a polite distance, but she didn’t. Catra’s voice dropped into a low, conspiratorial whisper, and if she wasn’t so close to Adora the blonde might not have heard her. “You know, I wouldn’t mind you hitting on me in another way.” This close, what stood out to Adora was Catra’s eyes. The mismatching colors were unfamiliar, but beautiful nonetheless, the gold and the blue complementing one another and matching in something heavy behind her gaze. It made Adora feel like a deer in headlights, but she didn’t dislike having her eyes on her. In fact, she rather liked it.

Catra leaned back, and Adora realized that if they had been any closer just then, Adora might have done something stupid. Her heart was still jackhammering in her chest, but to a lesser extent. Catra smiled, charming but bordering on predatory. And Adora  _ liked  _ it. 

“So, do you think I could get your number? I’ve been thinking about stopping by the gym sometime. Or, at the very least,” Catra added, a gleam in her eyes, “I think I’d like to get to know you some more.” Adora nodded, and Catra took out her phone. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was a little worried about how quick this was happening. She hardly knew this woman, why was she giving her her phone number? And yet, these concerns weren’t enough to stop her as she told Catra her number, and the alluring brunette typed it in. 

“Well, I’ve got to go, Adora. See you around,” she said, turning and continuing on her way past the stunned blonde. Now that Catra was gone and Adora could think clearly again, she realized what she had just done.  _ I probably should have waited to get to know her better before giving her my number,  _ she thought to herself. But, she didn’t regret it. Besides, it was like Catra said. Now that they could text one another, they could easily...get to know each other. The blonde’s tongue darted out to lick her suddenly dry lips.

As Adora finished up her run, she found that whenever a thought wandered into her mind, it was about Catra. She wondered what she should text her, if anything, or if she should wait for her to send something. She decided against texting her, at least for a while, once again in an effort to avoid looking desperate. And early that evening, she received a text from Catra:  _ Hey, Adora ;) _

Adora thought for a moment before typing out a response to the greeting.  _ Hey, Catra.  _ Within maybe a minute or so, she had another text.  _ so, how long have you been working at the gym? Must be a pretty tough job.  _ Adora smiled. So she remembered that detail from their conversation earlier. 

_ A little over a year now. My friends said I went to the gym so much before that it would hardly make a difference, lol _ . Adora was a little unsure if using acronyms was a good choice, but she went with it anyways for the sake of sounding casual. In reality, though, she was practically clinging to Catra’s every word, anxiously waiting for her reply. She felt like an idiot, or like a teenager with a crush, but her heart still pounded when she thought of her in spite of herself.

_Hey, texting you is great and all, but what would you think about catching a drink sometime?_ Before Adora could put a reply into her phone, she got another message. _It’s fine if you don’t want to, but I think I’d rather talk with you person. It’s more...intimate_. That last sentence made Adora’s heart feel as though it lifted into her throat. Maybe it was just her word choice, but still, the word intimate being thrown in there brought a few images to Adora’s mind that were...well, more than platonic. 

_ Sure, I’d love to! When would work for you?  _ A few minutes ago, Adora might have thought the enthusiasm on her part would be a bit much, but she didn’t care so much about that now. Now Catra had crossed the line Adora had thought about but never dared to cross herself, and while part of her was still concerned about how fast this was all happening, more of her was just plain ecstatic at the thought of spending some more time with Catra. And especially since Catra had been the one to make the first move, she was more sure that Catra felt at least somewhat the same as the blonde did. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have acted this quick, right?

_ I was thinking next Saturday, probably about 10?  _ Adora was quick to respond this time. 

_ Yeah, sounds good. See you then!  _ Catra sent back a winky face, which Adora chose not to dwell on, seeing as it could mean anything. Adora turned off her phone, smiling to herself. The invitation was unexpected, but certainly not unwelcome. Now all she had to do was wait for the weekend.

While Adora would have been embarrassed to say it, she anticipated and thought about the future outing more than she would like to admit. It must have shown, though. While she was going out for ice cream with Glimmer and Bow that Friday, she absentmindedly ate a spoonful of her cold treat (plain vanilla, in spite of Glimmer, who had been insisting for years now that she should try anything else), staring out into space. Much like it had the rest of the week, thoughts of Catra, of the past weekend and the one yet to come drifted into her head. Suddenly, Glimmer waved her hand in front of Adora’s face, snapping her out of there.

“Hello? Earth to Adora?” she asked, smiling. Adora sat up, stuffing another spoonful of ice cream in her mouth in an effort to pass off her distant staring.

“Sorry, I just...spaced out, is all.” Glimmer and Bow shared a look, both of them smiling like Adora just referenced an inside joke only they got. Glimmer elbowed Adora, who was intently focused on finishing her ice cream.

“Got something on your mind? Or maybe someone?” Glimmer asked. Adora nearly spat out her spoon, but managed to keep her reaction to a minimum. She paused for just a moment to think of how to answer that, if at all, but before she could Glimmer added, “Ooh, is it that girl from the beach?”

Adora, now blushing and with no come back, weakly replied, “Shut up…” Her eyes were locked onto the table, but she could hear Bow and Glimmer give a joyful gasp.

“So it  _ is  _ her! What, did you see her again?” Bow asked. Adora sighed. She wanted to tell them what had happened, but she wasn’t sure if they would think that it had happened too quick. But then, she didn’t want to lie to them, and if there was anyone Adora would trust with information about her love life, it was those two.

“Yeah, actually. I saw her a few days ago when I was out on a run, and she invited me out to the bar tomorrow.” Bow was still smiling brightly, but Glimmer looked a little less pleased.

“Are you sure she isn’t just using you for free drinks?” she asked. Adora paused her rapid consumption of her ice cream. That idea hadn’t occurred to her. But somehow, she wasn’t worried about it. 

“I’m pretty sure that isn’t the case,” she answered. The faint worry on Glimmer’s face relaxed, but not entirely. 

“Well, if she does anything to you, or does end up using you…” Glimmer took one hand in the other and cracked her knuckles in a tough-guy kind of way. At the time, it was amusing, considering she was the shortest one in the Best Friend Squad. But while Adora might have been the most physically strong of the group, she knew firsthand that Glimmer could be terrifying when she wanted to be. “...we got your back.” 

“Thanks, guys,” she said with a smile. She had never had a date that was really awful, but it was nice to know that she had support if this was going to be her first. 

“And if you do end up having fun with this mysterious hottie,” Bow added, grinning, “then all the better, right?” Adora nodded, her cheeks flushing again. She certainly hoped she would have some fun with her.

As the three left the ice cream shop and parted ways, Adora found herself in high spirits and with newfound high hopes. After all, Catra seemed interested, enough to invite her for drinks. Adora was still certain that she had been checking Adora out that morning. Adora was certainly attracted to her, that much she knew. And besides, even if things didn’t go as hoped, it would at least be a nice change of pace.

Soon enough, Saturday evening rolled around. It was about half an hour before Adora planned to leave, and the blonde was deciding on what to wear. She didn’t want to go too formal, but she wasn’t about to show up in sweatpants and a tank top. After much trying things on and internal debate, she settled on a simple, but nice light blue t-shirt, and some black shorts. It wasn’t much, but she didn’t feel like breaking out her red dress quite yet. After all, this was only the first time they’d be hanging out together.  _ Hopefully not the only time,  _ she thought.

Adora arrived at the bar they agreed upon--a local bar and pub, one which Adora had been to before several times with her friends--at almost exactly 10:00. She took a seat on one of the stools in front of the bar. The bartender gave her a questioning raise of an eyebrow, waiting for her to ask for something, but Adora didn’t want to order anything before Catra got there. Fortunately, she didn’t need to wait very long. And when she spotted Catra walk through the doors, she thought her heart had stopped.

While Adora had opted not to wear a dress, Catra hadn’t shied away from it. She had on a simple red dress that reached just past her knees. It had a slit that reached up to her thigh, and layered on top of dress was a black leather jacket. To top it all off, she had on a pair of dark high heels that gave her just that little but more height and somewhat intimidating sexiness.The dress hugged her curves in just the right way to draw attention to them, and the jacket was just the right touch of bad-girl that made Adora wonder why it was suddenly so hot in the bar. Catra found Adora quickly, shooting her smile and walking over to take the stool next to her.

“Hey, Adora,” she greeted her, sitting down on the black stool. She let out a small sigh, before reaching up and shrugging off her jacket, adding, “It’s warmer in here than I expected.”  _ So I’m not the only one who thinks it’s hot in here,  _ Adora wanted to reply. But her eyes were too preoccupied with how the dress revealed so much of her. The straps exposed her shoulders and arms (they were toned, Adora noticed, and she wondered if Catra hadn’t already gone to the gym before), and the neckline was low in a way that beckoned her eyes downward. She looked absolutely delicious, with just enough skin showing to be almost teasing, but leaving most of it to Adora’s imagination, which wasn’t far from the gutter by now. 

“Um, yeah, it is,” Adora stammered, trying and failing to sound as calm and composed as Catra looked. Catra gave her a small smile, before turning and gesturing for the bartender to come over.

“I’ll take a Wildcat,” Catra asked. The bartender nodded, glancing at Adora and waiting for her order. Adora hadn’t expected them to get down to business so quickly, so she was somewhat caught off guard.

“I, uh, I’ll have one of the same,” she said. Catra raised an eyebrow at her and gave her that signature smirk she seemed fond of wearing. It didn’t feel rude or condescending to Adora, though. In fact, she thought the self-assured, playful expression looked good on her.

“Have you ever had one of those before?” Catra asked. Adora opened her mouth to tell her that no, she hadn’t, she just panicked and went with the first thing she thought of. But she stopped herself, thinking that that would make her sound unconfident. And while she was less so around pretty girls, one thing the blonde certainly was was confident. 

“Not in a while, but yeah,” she replied. Catra nodded. She turned in her seat to face Adora fully, crossing one leg over the other and giving the blonde a little tilt of her head.

“So, how often do you come here?” she asked. 

“Um, not very often,” she answered honestly. This certainly wasn’t the first time she’d been out drinking, and she had come to this place in particular several times. But if she was being honest, when her and the Best Friend Squad went out together, she’d almost always rather go someplace else. 

“I get it,” Catra said. “You gotta keep in shape, right?” Adora nodded. Catra reached a hand up and traced a finger over Adora’s arm. Adora twitched involuntarily, making the muscles there flex. Maybe her mind was playing tricks on her, but Adora could have sworn she heard Catra let out a faint, breathy sigh. 

“Two Wildcats,” the bartender announced, interrupting the moment and placing two glasses in front of the pair. In the cocktail glasses was a reddish-pink liquid, ice floating on the surface and a lime slice perched on the glass’s rim. 

Catra picked up her drink and raised it to her lips, taking a hearty sip of the cocktail. Normally, when Adora drank, she liked to take it in slowly. But wanting to match Catra’s bravado, she took her own Wildcat and took an even larger sip, and immediately regretted it. It felt like liquid fire shot down her throat, leaving her mouth buzzing with the flavor she thought might have been strawberry. Her surprise at how strong it was must have showed, because Catra laughed. 

“Stronger than you remembered, huh?” she asked with a chuckle. Adora nodded, coughing into her arm. 

“I’m still shocked you had the willpower to get up that early last Sunday,” Catra said. The memory of last weekend flashed through Adora’s mind, the most prominent thing being the way Catra’s eyes had roamed over her body that morning. Adora hoped her cheeks weren’t flushing. Adora shrugged.

“I always get up early, just usually not to go on a run,” Adora said. Catra leaned forward a little in her seat. Her eyes grew lidded, and her voice grew low, as though confiding something in Adora, and Adora alone.

“You know, I thought you looked pretty good right then,” she whispered. She smiled, giving Adora another once over. “If I’m being honest, you look great right now, too.” She ran a hand over Adora’s arm again, and this time Adora couldn’t hold back a shiver, both at Catra’s words and at the gentle, teasing touch. Catra met Adora’s eyes, and her voice dropped even lower, to just above a whisper. She leaned in even more, to the point where Adora could feel Catra’s breath ghosting over her lips. “I think you’d look even better with nothing on, though.”

Adora practically trembled, her eyes darting from Catra’s down to the other girl’s lips. She was so close, and it was inhibiting Adora’s ability to think clearly. But somehow, she didn’t mind, only wanted to get even closer. She was acutely aware of how little she would have to lean forward for their lips to be pressed together.

Before Adora could act on any lust-driven impulses, however, Catra leaned back in her seat, giving her a little more distance, but still keeping close to Adora. 

“So, do you plan on hitting me with something else tonight, or should I stop looking out?” Catra teased. Adora grinned, giving her a light shove.

“Shut up,” she laughed, and Catra laughed too, making her heart swell in her chest.

The two continued to exchange more playful banter, some of it completely friendly and platonic, and some of it with flirtatious undertones. All the while, Adora was conscious of how close they were to one another, close enough that every once in a while Catra’s leg would brush up against Adora’s, or their hands would touch. It was never for very long, just enough to make Adora crave more. Before too long, both of them had finished their Wildcats.

“You want another?” Catra asked, gesturing to the empty glass. 

“Oh, no, I’m good,” Adora politely refused with a shake of her head. She didn’t want Catra seeing how much of a lightweight she was, and she was already feeling the effects of the first Wildcat. The tan-skinned girl leaned in again, making Adora’s heart beat faster once more. Her eyes locked onto Adora’s, and that intense look showed itself again. It felt as though she was staring right past Adora’s eyes, almost into her soul, trapping Adora’s gaze with her own. 

“Are you sure? I think you might enjoy another one,” she said, her eyes never once leaving Adora’s. Suddenly, Adora was finding it hard to think quite straight. Why didn’t she want another drink again? She wasn’t sure. But Catra said she would like another.

“Actually, why not?” Adora found herself saying. Catra moved back, smiling. She flagged down the bartender again, ordering another cocktail for Adora.

That second Wildcat turned into another, and another. Adora’s mind got foggier and foggier, clouded further by the alcohol and by lust. The few small touches grew longer, more deliberate. Before Adora knew it, she was stumbling out of the bar with Catra by her side, and then Catra’s lips were on hers, and so were her hands. If Adora had been completely there at the time, she would have put a stop to it, would have realized things were moving too quickly. But instead she did the exact opposite, and let Catra keep kissing her, losing herself in the heat between them. 

Fortunately, Adora’s place wasn’t far from the bar, close enough that the pair managed to walk down several streets in the dark night and make it into Adora’s house before clothes came off. That red dress, that damned dress that Adora had wanted to rip off of Catra the moment she saw it on her, was finally taken off, exposing the rest of Catra to her. She received the same treatment in return, and all the while their lips were never far from one another, either locked in a kiss or placing kisses all over their bodies.

The night passed by in a blur, of naked, soft skin, of warmth, passionate touches, mind-boggling lust and arousal the likes of which Adora had never felt before. It had been a while since Adora had had some, yes, but this? This was the best sex she had ever had. Catra must have been rather experienced, because she seemed to figure out exactly what Adora wanted in a matter of seconds, biting and sucking at her lips and touching her in all the right ways. And she was generous, with her hands and her mouth. Even when Adora had gathered enough coherency to ask her if she wanted a turn, she only smiled, and assured her that she’d love to keep pleasuring Adora, if that was alright with her, which of course, it was. 

She came again and again, and by the time Catra was finally done with her, Adora passed out almost right away. She fell into a deep sleep, blissfully exhausted and blissfully unaware that she had just slept with a succubus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I originally planned to write out these two getting it on, but that would have made this chapter pretty long and delayed my releasing this for much longer. Don't worry, you'll get your smut....eventually. This is a slow burn, after all.
> 
> If you liked this, please don't hesitate to leave a kudos and/or a comment! I love hearing what you guys think. Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Catra makes an unorthodox decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I usually don't update this quick, but I just really wanted to write this part, and I knew exactly what was going to happen. So, here you go!

Sleeping with Adora was far from the first time Catra had done something like it. She had played the game of seduction, both long and short ones, many times, and she’d gone home with her prey each and every time. Being a succubus, she was naturally a talented seductress. 

But with her latest victim, it felt rather easy. Too easy, even. She was so eager, willing, and completely and oblivious to Catra’s true intentions. This unawareness of who, or what Catra was was pretty uncommon. After all, Adora was the one who summoned her in the first place. Catra expected her to have caught on, at least after the events of last night, but she hadn’t. Not even when Catra gave her several mind-blowing orgasms the night prior--Catra could tell she hadn’t gotten any in a while, the poor thing, but that only made them more delicious--did the pieces finally click for her. 

_And now she never will,_ Catra thought to herself. The demon in her liked it, took pleasure in corrupting something innocent and pure, in hunting the deer that didn’t even know it was being hunted. But a part of her was a little disappointed nonetheless. 

It was the morning now. The morning after, when Catra would soon make Adora give what was demanded of her, whether she was aware of it or not. Soft sunlight came in through a window behind her as Catra’s eyes quickly adjusted to her surroundings. She felt Adora’s body behind her, close by, but not quite touching. 

Slowly, careful not to wake her, Catra rolled over. She found herself face to face with the blonde. _God, she looks good even when she’s asleep,_ Catra thought. And she really did. When Catra had a choice in the matter, she would always pick people she found attractive--preferably women--to make the process a little more enjoyable for both parties involved. But Adora was one of the prettier people she had slept with in a while. Her eyes, though not open now, were a beautiful shade of blue that reminded Catra of the sky on a warm summer day. Her jawline and her hair were to die for, and that’s not even taking the rest of her muscular body into account. Catra hadn’t been lying when she told Adora that hertime at the gym showed, and it definitely improved more than just her athletic ability. 

But that wasn’t what made this instance feel different than before. Catra had had sex with plenty of hot women before. It was something else about Adora that set her apart. Catra couldn’t quite pin it down. It was something...warmer than the others. At first, Catra thought it was just her innocent, open friendliness. But she got a closer glimpse at it last night that made her think that wasn’t quite it. 

_Catra wondered if Adora was planning on kissing her the whole night, even while Catra fucked her. Honestly, Catra didn’t find think she would mind. What Adora lacked in tact and experience, she made up for with passion and sheer, utter lust. The neediness, the arousal exuding from her was palpable. No matter how many times Catra felt it from others, having someone want her so_ badly _always thrilled her. And Adora was no exception tonight._

_Apparently, though, Adora had remembered that she needed to breathe somehow, because she pulled away from Catra, her warm and fast breaths hitting the demoness’ lips. Catra hovered over the blonde and gave her some time to catch her breath, forearms planted on either side of her head and legs on either side of her hips. While Catra still had her panties and bra on, Adora was completely bare, exposing herself entirely to Catra._

_The two stayed like that for a moment, Adora’s gaze never leaving Catra’s. Catra knew she should probably get moving, wanted to keep pleasuring her, but something compelled her to stay where she was. Maybe it was the way Adora was looking at her. Having “compelled” Adora to intoxicate herself only an hour earlier, she was faintly aware of the irony,_

_Adora’s eyes, clouded and dark with a mix of lust and alcohol, roamed over Catra’s body, hungry. Catra smirked, enjoying the attention. She was about to shuffle further down and provide the blonde with a third orgasm, when Adora did something that made her stop in her tracks. Her eyes met Catra’s again, and she reached up with a soft hand and gently cupped Catra’s cheek._

_Adora’s entire body seemed almost to glow in the aftermath of two orgasms, but her eyes shone more than anything. They had become so soft and clear, even with the several cocktails in her system. She looked at Catra with warmth in those beautiful, blue eyes, and her hand on Catra’s face was tender and intimate in a way Catra hadn’t experienced in a long, long time, and despite Catra being more covered than her, she felt almost more vulnerable than her. “You’re beautiful,” Adora whispered, her voice as soft and gentle as her touch._

_For a moment, Catra found herself without words. She hadn’t planned this. She wasn’t expecting..._ this. _But she recovered quickly, and gave Adora a small smile._

_“Thanks,” she said, her voice coming out as quiet as Adora’s. She leaned down and pressed her lips against Adora’s once more, if not to ensure that she didn’t think too much about it, then just because Catra liked kissing her. And while that wasn’t the first time Adora would compliment her that night, it was the most sober Adora acted the whole evening._

Thinking back on that exchange now, Catra felt a pang of something like regret. But still, she knew what had to be done now, and what happened last night didn’t matter. 

Catra sat up, looking down at Adora’s sleeping form beside her. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was almost six in the morning, but that wasn’t an unusual time for Catra to get up. She might have made it seem to Adora like she got up at a reasonable time--and she did like to sleep in, when she could--but in reality, she often woke up very early in the morning, preferably before the person she’d slept with did. It made the process after less painful. For Catra, anyway. 

Catra shifted, turning so she was kneeling over Adora. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. She focused inward, letting the magic in her blood flow freely through her, until her entire body felt like it was tingling with electricity and energy. She opened her eyes, and moved her hand until it was hovering just over Adora’s heart.

Catra stopped. She was supposed to rest her hand on Adora’s pulse. She was supposed to let the magic flow through her into the blonde, and then get up and leave, without a sound, taking a part of Adora’s soul with her. And then she would go off, enjoy the powerful high that feasting on a soul’s energy gave until it was time to find someone else, or she was summoned, and it would happen all over again. And most of all, she was _not_ supposed to _hesitate,_ because then she might overthink the routine she had been in for so many years of her life, and that was a road Catra couldn’t afford to go down.

And yet, with all this in mind, Catra couldn’t do it. She just couldn’t. She couldn’t make herself take such an important piece of Adora, to harm her in the way she had harmed so many before. She felt a mix of emotions swirling around inside her--shame for her inability to do something she had done so many times, anger at herself for being so weak-hearted, but strongest of all, a burning distaste at the thought of taking a piece of Adora’s soul.

So, she decided, she wouldn’t do it. _Fuck it,_ she thought, letting the magic settle back into herself and pulling her hand back to her side. _I can find someone else._ She always ran on impulse, and now was no different. She could regret it later, question it and get mad at herself, but now that she had made up her mind, she wasn’t going to change it. 

But if she wasn’t going to make Adora face the consequences of her actions, then she had to leave, and soon, before she did something suspicious. This Catra was used to--leaving her prey to wake up alone. It was less complicated that way, and not unusual behavior after a one-night-stand. And now, Catra wanted to get as far away from Adora as soon as possible. 

Catra cautiously got out of the bed, cringing at the creak in the floorboards under her feet. But Adora seemed to be a deep sleeper, because apart from having shifted more to face the ceiling, she hadn’t showed any signs of waking up. Catra knelt down and picked up her dress, laying in a red pool of fabric at the foot of the bed. She still had her black bra and panties on, and she pulled the dress on over them, grabbing her phone from the nightstand on her way to the door. Catra walked out of the bedroom and to the front door. She snatched her jacket off the coatrack and put that on, too. 

She had her hand on the doorknob, and paused. From where she was standing, she could see Adora, still asleep, through the open bedroom door. And breaking the second of her own rules that morning, she did just that. A part of her hoped Adora would find out what Catra was, but more of her didn’t, because then she would know Catra had spared her. But then, Adora hadn’t realized she was a succubus, not even when Catra had used her magic to convince her to drink some more last night. So she wasn’t sure if she would ever figure it out. _But by the time she does, I’ll be long gone._

Catra sighed, pushing open the door and slipping out of the house. She really hoped she wouldn’t regret this. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sympathy isn't quite new to Catra, but mercy is. 
> 
> Honestly, I'm really looking forward to writing more of this! I at least have an idea of what's going to happen, and I'm excited to write it all. I haven't written a slow burn before, but I hope this'll be as good as the other slow burns I've read.
> 
> Please leave a kudos and a comment if you enjoyed! Thank you guys for all the nice feedback on the last chapter, btw, I'm glad you all seem to be liking this little project :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Adora can't get something off her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for any spelling or grammar issues, I didn't edit this very thoroughly. Anyways, enjoy!

Adora was decidedly new to one-night stands. She hadn’t had that many partners in her life to begin with, and only one or two people she had ever gotten to third base with. But she didn’t need to have had lots of experience to know that the sex she’d had with Catra was the best she’s had, and probably ever will. Sure, the night was a blur of a memory now, most likely due to the alcohol, but it was a... _more_ than pleasant blur. Just the bits and pieces she could recall were enough to make her feel warm all over. It was great, and Adora wanted to thank Catra for making her feel so good, when she’s sober. 

So that’s why Adora was disappointed when she woke up, Catra nowhere to be seen. Adora sat up, glancing around the room. Her clothes were gone, too. She glanced at the clock, and seeing that it was 10:30 AM, she was glad it was a Sunday. 

Adora got up out of bed, before the headache hit her. God, now she remembered why she didn’t like drinking. Still, Adora pushed the pain to the back of her mind as best she could. She retrieved her clothes from various locations around her bed and dumped them in the laundry, pulling on a plain red t-shirt and navy blue shorts before heading out of her bedroom.

She noticed that Catra’s jacket was gone from where she had haphazardly flung it on the coat rack last night. Adora felt her heart sink a little. Maybe it had been too much to hope for for Catra to stay, at least for a little while, the morning after a one-night stand. Maybe it was normal for the person you’d slept with to leave before you woke up, and Adora had had her hopes too high. It’d be less awkward, Adora supposed. But that didn’t stop her from feeling disappointed

She popped some bread in the toaster, on autopilot. Adora knew she certainly wasn’t the best in bed, especially not compared to the literal sex goddess Catra seemed to be, but she didn’t think she’d have done so poorly that Catra didn’t even want to face her the next day. The thought made her heart sink even lower. It might’ve been stupid, but Adora had wanted to impress her, for some reason. She wanted Catra to have fun, too. But if she had enjoyed their...date last night, then why wouldn’t Catra have stuck around, at least until Adora got up?

Adora slathered some strawberry jam on the toast once it was done, sitting down and eating it as she contemplated what she should do now. What she _wanted_ to do was text Catra, ask her why she had left so early, or at the very least just check up on her. But she didn’t want to come across as clingy, or to break some unspoken rule of one-night stands by trying to contact her after it all. Adora tried to satisfy herself with the thought that maybe she’d see Catra around some time, and she’d get to talk with her when the moment came, but it didn’t work. She knew she’d be even more hesitant about it in person, and besides, waiting for however long that would take, assuming Catra wouldn’t actively avoid her, would just make it even more awkward to bring up. 

So, with some level of reluctance but wanting answers regardless, Adora picked up her phone. She opened up Catra’s messages, and thought for a moment. Maybe she shouldn’t get straight to the point, and just send a good morning text, just to see if Catra would respond. She pondered it a little longer, typing and then deleting her words, before settling on _Hey, good morning! I noticed you left early, everything alright?_

Over the course of the day, Adora found herself almost obsessively checking her phone for a reply. Apart from a few texts from Glimmer and Bow (who didn’t bring up her and Catra’s date last night, thank god), she got nothing. In fact, Adora was ready to give up all hope of getting a response when that evening, Catra answered her. _yeah, I’m fine._

The message didn’t clarify anything for Adora, but the fact that Catra had sent a reply at all gave her a glimmer of hope. She decided not to press further for a reason, and instead sent, _Okay, good._ She put her phone down, promptly thought _Oh, what the hell,_ and sent another message. _Did you have fun last night?_

It took Catra a while to send anything back, but not nearly as long as before. _Yeah, i did. And you?_ Adora smiled. Well, there was no doubt that _she_ had enjoyed it. She sent her, _yes, definitely_. Adora put her phone down, but her question still being largely unanswered, it nagged at her. Now that she knew Catra didn’t leave due to a poor performance on Adora’s part, she only wanted to know why she did even more. But she didn’t want to press for an answer, either, for fear of coming off as either worrisome or clingy. Maybe this was completely normal behavior for after a one-night stand. 

Picking up her phone again, she decided she’d ask someone about it, someone a little more knowledgeable in these sorts of affairs than Adora (then again, that was probably lots of people). Adora dialed Glimmer’s number. 

**> <><><><><><><**

“...aaaand, Uno!” Glimmer called out gleefully. Bow groaned, while Adora was just surprised. She had been a little spaced out, and hadn’t noticed how many cards her friend had, not until it was too late. 

Glimmer glanced at Adora. Her brows furrowed a little. “Hey, Adora, are you alright? You’ve been a little off tonight.” Adora was quiet for a moment, and was about to open her mouth to reply when Glimmer added, “Did something happen? Last night, with your mystery girl?”

Adora felt her cheeks color a little. She looked up from her lap at the pair, who both looked concerned now. 

“It’s Catra. And, yeah, actually.” Glimmer frowned, her hands clenched into fists. 

“I swear, if she hurt you-” 

“She didn’t,” Adora quickly cut her off. The last thing she wanted was for Glimmer to attack Catra unprovoked, when she hadn’t even met Catra before, and Adora hardly knew her. _Wait, I don’t know her?_ Adora thought to herself. But then, it was true. Catra might not have felt like a stranger, having gone out on a date and slept with her. But at the bar, they always talked more about Adora than Catra. The other gracefully reflected or avoided most questions about herself. So yeah, Adora didn’t really know her, either. 

“She just...well, I...we went home together last night, and when I woke up this morning, she was just...gone. No note, no text, no nothing. I mean, when I texted her about it, she said she was fine, but…” Adora sighed. “Is that normal? After...what we did?” 

Glimmer thought for a moment. While she didn’t have a whole lot of knowledge in this area, it was still more than Adora had. “Well, I guess it’s not too unusual for one-night stands. It makes waking up less awkward.

“Yeah, but it’s not like you guys just met at the bar and you took her home,” Bow interjected. “Sure, you guys didn’t know each other very well, but it’s not like that was the first time you two met.”

“Maybe that’s why she left,” Adora wondered. “The fact that we know each other might’ve made it even more awkward.” Glimmer nodded, but she didn’t look completely sure. Adora thought that it was a reasonable explanation, the most likely one. But still, some part of her wished Catra would’ve told her so. 

The three were quiet for a moment as Bow put down a card, Glimmer still looking thoughtful. She looked up at Adora. “Adora, do you think you’re still going to be...friends with her now? Even after last night?” 

“Yes,” Adora said without hesitation. Maybe it’d be a little awkward after they had literally slept with each other. But Adora still wanted to get to know Catra more, to hang out with her, if not as partners, then just as friends. There was something...mysterious about her, for lack of a better word, that drew Adora to her. _And the fact that she’s the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever met,_ her mind added. But sexual attraction aside, Adora definitely wanted to keep going with her, or at least to try. 

Bow smiled. “Then knowing you, I’m sure you’ll figure something out. Maybe you could try reaching out to her again, and meet up again?”

“I think I will.” Adora smiled at her friends. “Thanks, guys.” 

“No problem,” Glimmer said. She placed down her last card, grinning, as Bow groaned. 

“Seriously? That’s the second time in a row!” Adora raised an eyebrow at Glimmer. She had always been competitive, and now that her mind was clearer, she wanted to have another shot.

“You wanna play another round?” Glimmer’s eyes gleamed with the same spark of competition as Adora’s. 

“You’re on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adora can overthink things, but this is one of the few times where it might do her some good.
> 
> Sorry if this chapter wasn't a very exciting one, but it was necessary. Next chapter will be in Catra's POV again, and show more of what her life is like, which I'm looking forward to writing.
> 
> If you liked this, please leave a kudos or a comment to let me know so! It's lovely hearing from you all, especially since this is my first semi-serious multi-chapter work. Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Catra has a panic attack, twice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, everyone: a glimpse into Catra's personal life! Hope you enjoy, 'cause I enjoyed writing this one
> 
> Trigger warning: Mentions of abuse

Catra was a composed person, or at least she liked to pretend she was. It was an important part of playing the role of seductress, after all. She liked to act like she knew exactly what she was doing at all times, because in many instances, she did. 

But when she got a text from Adora, only an hour or so after ditching her, it sent her mind, and admittedly heart, into spiraling confusion. It was supposed to have been a one-night thing. Once Catra got what she needed, or in this case, didn’t get what she needed, that was supposed to be it. She wasn’t necessarily surprised, though--if Adora hadn’t realized Catra was the succubus she had summoned, then it wasn’t much of a stretch for her not to understand the rules of one-night stands, too. Because even in normal, human context, Adora had broken the one most important rule: once it was over, it was  _ over,  _ and that included not contacting the person afterward. And worse still, she seemed concerned over Catra’s leaving early, which was exactly what Catra  _ didn’t  _ want her to be.

Catra knew she should feel angry, or at the very least annoyed by Adora’s obliviousness, but she couldn’t find in her to be. Now that Adora had texted her, she was more concerned with what to do. The rational part of her knew the right thing to do was to ignore it. Adora might be a little thick-headed, but eventually she would take the hint. But something in her wasn’t happy with just ghosting Adora. Besides, Catra had no idea when she’d have to pick up and move again, when preying on one more person in the area would become too suspicious, so she might end up running into Adora some time, and that would just be even more awkward.

Catra’s mind went back and forth the whole day, drawing, watching videos, and doing other things to occupy herself in the meantime. Thankfully, Shadow Weaver wouldn’t be back to their rented house until very late, giving Catra the time and space to think it over. Since she hadn’t gotten any soul last night, she had planned to go in search of some today, but now she didn’t quite feel like it. Besides, she had gotten some not too long before sleeping with Adora, so she would be fine for at least a little while. 

Before long, it was the evening, and Catra still felt indecisive about the whole matter. On one hand, texting Adora back would come with some consequences she’d very likely regret facing later, mainly because it imply Catra actually cared about her, more than she was supposed to. In addition, she’d have to answer for leaving before Adora woke up, which was a whole other can of worms. But on the other hand, the same part of Catra that objected to taking Adora’s soul also stubbornly opposed  _ not  _ texting her. 

Finally, Catra picked up her phone. Fuck it. She had ran on impulse with Adora once already, and acting on her impulses usually worked out well for her. Who’s to say she couldn’t do something impulsive with Adora again?

The succubus opened up her messages, then her conversation with Adora, and hesitated. Now that she had decided to respond, what exactly should she say? After typing and then deleting her answer a few times, she sent back,  _ yeah, I’m fine.  _ Vague, but a reply no less. 

Catra hardly had to wait for a reply.  _ Okay, good.  _ And only a few seconds later, Adora added,  _ Did you have fun last night? _

Catra smirked. She was surprised Adora had the guts to ask about it that forthright. But now that she thought about it, she really had enjoyed their activities. She may not have come herself, but she was used to that. And besides, watching the blonde fall apart over and over again was immensely rewarding in of itself. She was already pretty, but seeing her naked, skin flushed and expression dark with arousal and pleasure was certainly a treat.

_ Yeah, i did. And you?  _ Catra was pretty certain that Adora had enjoyed it, but she wanted to hear it from her anyways. And soon after, Adora answered,  _ yes, definitely.  _ Catra smiled. At least she enjoyed it, too.

Catra sat there on the couch for a little bit, staring at her phone’s screen and debating whether or not to add anything else. Eventually, although somewhat reluctantly, she set her phone down, deciding against it. Better just to leave it at that. Now Adora had her answers, Catra wouldn’t come off as too much of a jackass, and they could head their separate ways.

Now all she had to do was hope she wouldn’t run into Adora, not ever again. She wasn’t sure what she’d do. But for now, she’d just avoid her as best she could. 

Late that night, Catra stirred in her bed at the sound of the house’s door opening and shutting.  _ That must be Shadow Weaver,  _ she thought to herself. She turned over so she was facing the door. There were days when Shadow Weaver left the house early and came back in the dead of night, and today was one of those times.

Catra listened as Shadow Weaver’s footsteps came up the stairs, and waited for her to open the door just a crack, to peek in at Catra and check on her. She shut her eyes, pretending to be asleep. But instead of light from the hallway spilling just a little into the dark bedroom like she expected, the footsteps passed her room by. A few seconds more and Catra opened one eye, enough to tell that Shadow Weaver wasn’t checking in on her tonight. 

An uncomfortable feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. Maybe she was in one of her bad moods. When Shadow Weaver was in a good mood, she was always nice to Catra, even going out of her way to do something nice for her. Some days, she was simply neutral to Catra--not mean, but not particularly warm, either. But every now and again, there were the bad days. Just the thought of them shot cold dread through Catra’s body. Sometimes Shadow Weaver would yell at her, spit Catra’s faults out at her like verbal poison, and even hit her on rare occasions. But what was even worse was when Shadow Weaver would do all of these things, but with complete indifference. Hit her, insult her, do all the things that hurt and looking like she didn’t care at all. Not for Catra, and especially not that she was hurting her.

Instead of the door slamming open, or opening at all, however, Catra heard the sink running in the bathroom down the hall. Something felt very distinctly off to Catra, and perhaps despite her best interests, she ever so quietly got out of her bed and tiptoed down the hallway, to where a faint light spilled out from behind the bathroom door. She took a deep breath. Maybe it would be better for her to just stay in bed. But she knew that if she didn’t investigate this nagging feeling inside of her, she couldn’t possibly get to sleep.

Slowly, Catra made her way down the hall, careful to avoid the wooden planks she knew were creaky. When she reached the room, she found the door to be open just a crack. She peered through this gap at Shadow Weaver inside.

Catra’s...guardian? She’s not quite sure what she’d call Shadow Weaver, since she was centuries older than Catra, but not related to her. She was a demon, like Catra, and she had the appearance to match one. A tall, slender figure with a pale complexion, angular body and eyes that she could best describe as sharp, she looked a lot more intimidating than Catra. But then, she was a very different kind of demon.

She appeared to be doing something very innocuous; just washing her hands in the bathroom sink. And yet, something still didn’t feel quite right. Catra looked closer, trying to get a look at Shadow Weaver’s hands. After all, she had to have gotten something pretty bad on her hands if that’s the first thing she did after getting home. She hadn’t even taken off her shiny, black shoes yet. 

And it was something bad, Catra realized. Her heart dropped into her stomach, her eyes widened.  _ Red.  _ Crimson red, all over Shadow Weaver’s hands and wrists. She was scrubbing them vigorously with soap, and soon the red was completely gone from her hands. 

Either Catra had subconsciously made some sort of sound, or Shadow Weaver realized she was there, because she turned to look at her through the cracked door. Before Catra could step back or act like she hadn’t been spying on her, Shadow Weaver opened the door. Her eyes were dark. Catra couldn’t tell with what yet.

“What are you doing still up?” the demoness asked. She sounded somewhat annoyed, but not necessarily angry. That was better than Catra expected. 

“I, I just got up to use the bathroom,” she answered. Shadow Weaver’s eyes bore into Catra’s, searching, like she was looking straight into her nonexistent soul. It wasn’t the first time Catra had gotten this stare, and despite how uncomfortable it made her feel, she forced her face to remain neutral. After a few tense moments, though, Shadow Weaver sighed. 

“Alright, then,” she said, gesturing inside the bathroom. “Go right ahead.” Catra gave her a small smile, fueled by relief that Shadow Weaver wasn’t going to punish her, and slipped inside as Shadow Weaver stepped out. Catra shut the door behind her, locked it, and proceeded to internally panic.

Was that...was that  _ blood  _ on Shadow Weaver’s hands? Rationally, Catra wasn’t sure why the notion upset her so much. After all, Shadow Weaver did the same thing Catra did--took them from people, fed off of them. Catra knew that Shadow Weaver usually took a little bigger piece of souls than Catra did, but never enough to become suspicious. And instead of using seduction to make her victims vulnerable, Shadow Weaver preferred to use deceit and cunning. However, she assured Catra that she only ever took the souls of bad people, those who deserved it. 

But still, taking someone’s soul doesn’t require blood. You don’t need to hurt them to do it. Sure, once or twice Shadow Weaver had come home with scratches and bruises, when the victim fought back, but never blood, and never that  _ much  _ blood _.  _ And Shadow Weaver didn’t seem hurt at all.

Catra shoved the thought away. Shadow Weaver was a demoness, and a far older and more experienced one than Catra, at that. Whatever she was doing with her victims was her own business. And who knows, maybe she got blood on her hands from something else. There are some pretty freaky demonic rituals, after all. 

After flushing the toilet and running her hands under the sink to make it sound as though she had gone to the bathroom, Catra headed back down the hall and into her bed. She tried to go to sleep, to get her mind to quiet down, but it wouldn’t. Her thoughts kept her awake most of the night. Thoughts about blood, and demons, and pretty blonde girls with blue eyes.

Shadow Weaver didn’t check in on her that night. Catra was glad she didn’t. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of you asked if Catra had a room in Satan’s quarters. I think living with Shadow Weaver’s close enough. 
> 
> I was excited to show you guys how Catra lives her life, and I hope you all enjoyed it. You’ll be seeing more of what her life with Shadow Weaver is like, and what it has been, in the future. But for now, back to Adora and her lesbian self.
> 
> If you guys enjoyed this, please do let me know with a handy-dandy comment down below. And leave a kudos too, if you please :) Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Adora runs across a familiar face (again), and Catra doesn't handle it as well as she'd like to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I LIVEEEEE
> 
> Sorry for not updating in so long. I just got distracted by other projects and caught up in some personal matters. Don't worry, I fully intend on continuing this, but I apologize if the updates will be somewhat sporadic. Anyways, enjoy!
> 
> (Note: Because I wanted to get this chapter out today, it isn't very edited, so...read at your own risk)

Adora would have liked to say that after talking everything over with Glimmer and Bow, she safely put Catra out of her mind for the time being. But that wasn’t the case. Despite her mind being more at ease about her abrupt absence that morning, she found now that she wanted to see Catra again, if not to smooth things over regarding the one-night-stand, then at least to spend some more time with her. In the time she’d known her (admittedly not for very long), she had learned close to nothing about Catra. And for some odd, inexplicable reason, Adora really did want to know more about what she was like.

Now, in a normal situation, Adora would have simply called or texted her, asking if she wanted to hang out. But whenever she picked up her phone to do just that, she hesitated. What if Catra thought she was being annoying, or intrusive? Adora felt like she had pushed her luck with her first few texts after that night, but then, that was because Catra had done something odd, too. But now, the playing board was even, and despite her usual self-confidence, Adora found herself too timid to make the first move.

Fortunately, however, or unfortunately depending on your point of view, the universe decided to make the first move for her. Adora had been out on another one of her morning runs, and it still being July, she was exhausted by the time she was done. Normally, she’d run her entire loop, but today she decided to have some mercy on herself and walk a part of the way back.

She had just taken a swig of her water bottle when she spotted someone heading down the sidewalk in her direction. They were far away at first, and Adora couldn’t make out the details, so she paid the person no mind. That is, until they got close enough that Adora saw it was no other than Catra. Immediately, her heart and mind started racing simultaneously. Of course, she had thought of when she’d meet Catra again, but she had always skipped over the details of what exactly she’d say, and now she was tempted to turn around and head the opposite direction to avoid the inevitable awkwardness that would be that conversation. 

Fortunately, Catra had earbuds in and her gaze was locked onto the pavement, so Adora didn’t have to worry about making eye contact halfway to each other yet.  _ I could just walk past her, and maybe she wouldn’t notice,  _ the blonde thought to herself.  _ Then I could just text her at home, we could meet up somewhere else, and we could properly talk about...everything.  _

Adora was about to act on this plan, Catra almost close enough that she’d at least glance up at Adora and subsequently recognize her, when she considered the likelihood that she’d actually work up the courage to send Catra a text if she passed up this opportunity right now. And so she took a deep breath, reached up, and tapped Catra on the shoulder just as she was passing by.

At first, Catra looked miffed when she looked up, but then her eyes widened in recognition. She slowly, almost hesitantly pulled out her earbuds. 

“Hey, Adora.” She had a small smirk on her lips as she seemingly recovered from the surprise of seeing the blonde. Said blonde opened her mouth, and found that she had suddenly lost the capacity to form words.

“...Hey, Catra,” she said once she remembered how to speak. Catra was in a black tank top and ripped jeans, and despite having seen her in considerably more...revealing conditions, Adora still found herself stunned. She internally chastised herself for being distracted by her looks, but she still found her gaze flitting over Catra’s arms--they looked toned, maybe not as muscular as Adora’s, but still, did she work out?

The pair stood there for a few tense, incredibly awkward moments. At least, it was awkward for Adora. Neither of them met the other's eyes, opting instead to look anywhere but at each other. Adora didn’t know if Catra had had one-night-stands before--based on her experience with Catra last week, Adora guessed she probably had--but for Adora, for whom that had been her first hook-up, she had absolutely no clue how to talk about it afterwards, if she even should at all. Fortunately for her, Catra spoke again.

“...I’m sorry about leaving so early last week, I just…” Catra glanced up at Adora, and then back down. “I forgot I had made plans that day, and I didn’t want to miss them.” Adora nodded and smiled understandingly, feeling a weight she didn’t know she was still carrying lifting off her shoulders. Sure, Catra had told her she enjoyed their little...date, so Adora assumed that meant she wasn’t at fault for Catra’s absence that morning, but it was good to hear that from her.

“It’s fine, I get it.” Adora put her hands in the pockets of her athletic shorts and shifted her weight from one leg to the other nervously, working up courage. She had an opening here, and she wasn’t going to waste it.

“So, do you maybe, uh...do you maybe want to, I don’t know, hang out again some time? Like, go get some ice cream or some food or something?” It didn’t come out quite as Adora had wanted it to, but still, she had gotten the question across. Catra peered at Adora, as though searching for any ulterior meaning to her invitation, and the blonde was taken aback not for the first time by how beautiful her eyes were. She hadn’t ever met someone with two differently colored eyes before, and the pairing of bright hazel and blue was surprisingly magnetic. 

“Uh, sure, I guess,” Catra answered after a moment or two. Adora couldn’t help the grin that spread across her face. 

“Great! So, would tomorrow afternoon work for you? Maybe around three, at Netossa’s?” Adora couldn’t be bothered about whether or not she sounded eager right now, she was just too happy that Catra had said yes.

“Yeah, I think that would work,” Catra said. Adora felt her smile grow more, if that was even possible.

“Great.” As she started to walk forward again, Adora gave the tan girl a little wave, still smiling brightly. “See you tomorrow!” And maybe it was her imagination, but she could have sworn that she saw Catra smile back, too.

Adora had that stupid, huge smile on her face the whole way home.

**> <><><><><><><**

Goddamnit. And just when Catra thought that Adora had moved on, and they would never see each other again, Adora just had to show up out of nowhere. And now, Catra would be breaking one of her most important rules when it came to her seducing people: continued contact. It was made even worse by the fact that Catra hadn’t even taken any of her soul that night, and wasn’t planning on it anytime soon.

But damnit, when Adora gave her that stupid nervous smile while she asked her about meeting up sometime, and the way she stumbled over her words and how bright her stupid _,_ _gorgeous_ blue eyes were when Catra almost subconsciously said yes...Catra didn’t like her. Absolutely not. She never liked feeling helpless, and she almost never stammered. The effect this girl was having on her was stupid, _Adora_ was stupid, and agreeing to see her again was stupid. And yet, Catra was both shocked and annoyed that she found herself looking forward to it.

By the time Catra arrived back at the house, she was a mix of several feelings and thoughts that when mixed together culminated in a sloppy, grey mush of frustration. On top of her internal arguing over what had just happened, one side defending her actions and the other scolding herself for being so stupid as to agree to Adora proposal, Catra was craving energy. And not just the kind that she could get from chowing down on some protein bars; she craved _soul_ energy. After not having gotten her fix with Adora, she found herself wanting to go on the hunt again. She decided she’d wait until nighttime, and she’d head somewhere nearby and see what she could find.

At 10:30, Catra put on her red dress with a long slit up to her thigh, her favorite black leather jacket, and some high heels. As she tried to somewhat tame her hair in the mirror, she realized that it was the same outfit she had worn to her last...meeting with Adora. She brushed the thought aside. She did look absolutely killer in the outfit, and it was far from the first time she had worn it. It had nothing to do with Adora whatsoever.

After putting on some eyeliner to really make her eyes stand out, in case she needed to do some persuading tonight, she headed out the door and to the same bar as last week (which again, had nothing to do with Adora, it was just conveniently close by, and besides, it was a Friday evening, there would be plenty of people there). Catra took a seat at the bar once she arrived and ordered a Wildcat. While she told him her order, the bartender’s eyes roamed over Catra’s body. For someone who was used to, and even generally liked getting attention like that, it made her frown tonight.  _ Wow, I’m really off my game,  _ she thought.  _ All the more reason I need to find someone tonight. _

As Catra sipped on her drink, surveying the crowded bar, she felt someone else’s eyes on her. She glanced down the row of bar stools to see a tall, muscular woman with short-cut white hair staring at her, almost gaping. Catra smirked. She looked completely helpless, which was exactly what Catra liked to see in her prey. Once the woman realized Catra had seen her, she almost jumped and snapped her attention to the bar countertop as though it was the most interesting thing there. Meanwhile, Catra looked her over. She certainly looked strong, very much so, and if it weren’t for her embarrassed behavior, she probably would have been intimidating. Catra checked her surroundings. No one was with the woman, it seemed. Catra licked her lips, and stalked over to the woman.

“Hey,” Catra purred, making sure she used the voice she knew was best for making a...favorable impression. The woman looked up, and her cheeks immediately flushed pink. 

“Uh, um, hi!” she said, a smile spreading across her face. Catra took the seat next to her, leaning in towards her and gently resting a hand on her arm (god, it was so toned). 

“I saw you watching me, you know,” Catra said, keeping her voice low and velvety, and her eyes lidded. The woman’s cheeks grew even more red, if that was even possible.

“I, uh, I’m sorry, I was just, well-” 

“It’s okay,” Catra reassured her. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I liked it.” The woman appeared shocked.

“R-really?” When Catra nodded, the somewhat flustered, good-natured and innocent grin that spread across her face reminded her of the way Adora had looked at her. Catra shoved that train of thought off the rails. Not the time.

It was incredibly easy to seduce the woman--Scorpia, Catra learned her name was--almost pathetically so. It was even easier than it had been with Adora. She didn’t even have to use her powers or anything to coerce her. The moment Catra pressed her lips to Scorpia’s, the woman practically melted. While Scorpia wasn’t quite the most experienced person she’d slept with, what she might have lacked in skill she made up for in enthusiasm, which while Catra found it somewhat annoying, it wasn’t half bad. 

The morning after, Catra found herself once more hesitant to take some of Scorpia’s soul.  _ See, this is exactly why you shouldn’t have let Adora go,  _ an inner voice hisses.  _ Because now you’ve decided to keep giving her attention, and now you’re going soft. Pathetic.  _ Catra came to a compromise with herself, and only took just enough to get that powerful high.  _ Besides _ , she reasoned with herself,  _ she probably has a big enough heart that she won’t even miss it. _

Learning from last time, Catra stuck around until Scorpia woke up, after which she said some quick, painless goodbyes and left. Catra cursed herself when she found her mind wandering back to Adora and seeing her tomorrow during her Uber ride back home. She made up her mind then and there: she would deal with Adora tomorrow, politely tolerate her, and then delete her number, her contact, and never,  _ ever  _ contact her again.

Ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Catra would like to think that if she denies any more-than-apathetic feelings towards Adora, they'll just go away. Spoiler alert: they won't.
> 
> Thanks for reading, guys! Please leave a kudos if you enjoyed, and spare a comment if you've got a few. Have a good day!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Catra and Adora have a totally not date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! No, I'm not dead, I've just been unproductive, lol. Here's an extra long chapter as an apology
> 
> I'm sorry if this chapter is quite up to snuff. With all the craziness that's going on, it might not be my best work for this series. But regardless, I hope you enjoy!

“And you’re  _ sure  _ this isn’t a date?” Bow said incredulously, crossing his arms. 

“Yes, I’m sure.” When neither he nor Glimmer looked convinced, both raising a disbelieving eyebrow at her almost simultaneously, Adora sighed. 

“Look, if it was a date, I would have told her so! We’re just going to lunch, nothing else.”  _ That is, unless she wants to do something else,  _ Adora added internally. But while she still was hopeful that this...meet-up would go smoothly, she was pretty certain that nothing more would come from it than exactly what she and Catra had decided upon. But still, a girl could dream.

“Right. And that’s why you came to us for outfit advice,” Glimmer said. Adora opted not to answer that, instead opening up her closet and looking over her options. Adora only ever dressed up formally when she absolutely had to, and the vast majority of the time, she wore comfortable, practical clothes, to make things like running or working at the gym easier on herself. Today, though, the thought of showing up at the cafe in sweatpants and a tank-top made her cringe. She wanted to wear something nice, but not too nice, to walk the line between casual and formal. But since fashion was decidedly not Adora’s area of expertise, and neither was staying on the moderate side of things, she had gotten Glimmer and Bow to help her. 

“Why don’t you wear what you wore last time you two ‘met up’?” Bow asked. Adora shook her head. Somehow, what she wore then didn’t seem enough for today.

“I want to wear something…” Adora searched for the right word that wouldn’t make it sound as though she was overthinking this. “...I don’t know, more flattering?” She sat down on the edge of her bed, the springs creaking under her. “This is why I called you guys, what would you wear if you were in my shoes?”

  
Fortunately, instead of making yet  _ another  _ comment alluding to the less-than-platonic nature of this lunch, the two looked thoughtful. After a second or two, Glimmer perked up. She walked over to the closet, sorting through the hangers in Adora’s wardrobe until she pulled out Adora’s old letterman jacket, from her time on the varsity volleyball team in high school. It was red, with white sleeves and white stripes lining the edges, an A over where the breast pocket would have been. 

“What about this, over a white shirt or something, with your black skirt?” Adora opened her mouth, about to protest that she would be too warm in it, but shut it when she realized that it had actually been somewhat colder today than the last few days, and so she ought to be fine wearing the jacket. 

“Does that even still fit me anymore?” she asked. It was one of her favorite clothes, hence why she had held on to it for so long, and it had so many good memories with it, too. High school was when she met Bow and Glimmer, after all. Glimmer shrugged.

“Only one way to find out,” she said, handing the jacket over to the blonde. Adora put it on, and except for a tiny bit of difficulty getting her arms through the sleeves, when she turned to look at herself in the mirror, it seemed like it still fit her perfectly. 

Content with this, she shooed Bow and Glimmer out of her room. She dressed herself in the aforementioned black skirt, a simple white t-shirt, and her letterman jacket to finish the look. At first, Adora wasn’t sure if the styles would clash, but examining herself in the mirror, she found that she rather liked the look. The colors on the jacket were a little faded from the years, but Adora thought she looked good regardless. With that, Adora stepped out of her bedroom, where Bow and Glimmer were waiting in the hall.

Adora was met with Bow grinning, and Glimmer gaping a little. However, she recovered quickly, smiling in victory.

“See? You look amazing, Adora!” she exclaimed. Adora’s cheeks warmed a little, and she smiled bashfully. With her esteem significantly boosted now, she felt ready to face Catra. A part of her still felt a little ridiculous, like she was making this out to be a bigger deal than it was, but she was too busy picturing herself at the cafe with Catra and imagining how it would go, feeling uneasy, but in an excited, anticipating kind of way, to listen. 

After another quick round of Glimmer and Bow giving her some last-minute support, Adora said her goodbyes and drove off to the cafe. It was one of her favorite spots in Brightmoon for lunch, with a warm, inviting atmosphere, and sandwiches that were to die for. Adora walked in and was met with the familiar smell of freshly-baked bread, bringing a small smile to her face. 

She took a seat at a nearby booth, close enough to the entrance that Catra would be able to see her when she walked in. Adora checked the clock, and despite it being still a minute before their agreed-upon time, her mind had already started dealing with the potential possibility of her not showing. _She walked right out without so much as a goodbye that one morning, who’s to say she wouldn’t flake out today?_ The hopeless voice in the back of her mind said. _She seemed pretty nervous when you asked her about meeting up somewhere, too. Maybe she freaked out, thought you were being too forward._

Despite those thoughts, however, Adora remained persistently faithful that Catra would make an appearance. For reasons not even known to Adora, she trusted that Catra would keep her word. And sure enough, she walked through the entrance a few minutes later, making Adora almost have a spit-take.

Catra’s outfit wasn’t quite as conventionally attractive as the one she wore when she took Adora out to the bar. Instead, she had on a black crop top and jean shorts, which on any other person would have been a completely ordinary outfit considering the summer day, but Adora’s heart found its way up to her heart anyway. 

Catra found her quickly, a small smile appearing on her face as she sat down across from Adora (internally, Adora admonished herself for picking a booth seat--now she wouldn’t be able to sit right next to her).

“Hey, Adora,” Catra said with a grin, and Adora felt her heart flutter for a split second. She smiled broadly back. 

“Hey Catra,” she returned the greeting. Catra picked up her menu, and when Adora did, she immediately felt the pressure of the awkward silence. She wanted to say something, but she didn’t want to sound like she was grasping at straws to make conversation, because really there was so much she wanted to talk with Catra about, all these things she wanted to get to know about her. But she knew that she couldn’t get into the thick of these things right away.  _ Just act natural,  _ Glimmer’s voice came to Adora in her thoughts.  _ Just be yourself, and see what happens.  _

“So, I don’t know if I ever asked, but what do you do? You know, for a living?” That came out a whole lot less smooth than Adora intended it to be, but Catra didn’t seem to notice, not glancing up from the lunch menu.

“Eh,” she shrugged. “I do lots of things. Mostly, though, I do art, and I do a musical gig every now and again.” It was a vague answer, but an answer no less. And now that she had the image of Catra playing the guitar and singing with that husky voice of hers in her head (she wasn’t sure why, but she had a very strong feeling that Catra was talking about playing the guitar) Adora knew she wanted to hear her play.

Adora wished she could respond with something more sincere-sounding than “That’s cool”, but that’s what comes out of her mouth anyway. A waitress came up to their table. Adora stuck with water, Catra ordered a cranberry juice, and the quiet between them resumed. But this time, it felt just a tad more comfortable. 

“What do you usually draw?” Adora asked, because now she was curious. 

“A little bit of everything, I guess. Sometimes people, sometimes animals, sometimes anything that’s in front of me.” The two were quiet for a moment, the chatter and background noise of the cafe filling the space.

“What’s it like, being able to do those sort of things as a living?” Adora asked. Catra thought for a moment, pursing her lips.

“It can be...kinda difficult to find work sometimes, but I enjoy what I do, so it doesn’t matter to me.” Catra looked up at Adora with those mismatched eyes and gave her a small smile. “So long as you like what you do, it doesn’t really matter what’s in it for you, you know? Just doing it is enough of a reward.” Adora nodded. While she wasn’t the most artistically gifted person, she knew what that was like. She made a mental note to ask to see some of Catra’s work, if the opportunity arose.

“So, what about you? What’s it like torturing people for a living?” Catra asked with a grin. 

“It’s not torture!” Adora responded, putting her hand over her heart in mock offense. “As crazy as it might sound, some people actually  _ like  _ exercising, thank you very much.”

“Yeah, of course you’d like working out, you...you gym rat,” Catra said, hesitating for a moment as though searching for the right phrase, glancing at Adora’s arms in her varsity jacket. Adora shrugged and smiled, accepting the title. Glimmer and Bow often poked fun at her for being so fitness-oriented, too, but hey, what could she say? Being in good physical health was important to her. 

“You know, for someone so clearly athletic,” Catra said, propping her chin up on her hand with a smirk. “I would have expected you to be just a little more graceful with a frisbee.”

“Okay, that was, like,  _ weeks  _ ago, you can’t hold that over my head now!” Catra laughed, and Adora found herself smiling, too. 

The two were given their drinks, and ordered their food (a salad for Adora, and a turkey club for Catra), and soon Adora found herself in easy conversation with her, playful banter that Adora found herself getting swept up in, smiling long and hard. For the first time, Adora saw Catra laugh, whole-heartedly, more than just a chuckle. Adora couldn’t remember exactly what it was she had said, only that it made Catra laugh out loud, her strikingly beautiful eyes dancing with joy, and Adora could have sworn she felt her heart swoon.

While they ate away at their lunch, they continued talking. Adora wasn’t sure what to expect of this first...more official meeting, but it was going great, and a part of her was tempted to order dessert, just so that she could stay with Catra a little longer. 

The pair were almost done with their lunches, and Catra leaned back in her seat. “So, uh, thanks for-”   


“Catra!” an enthusiastic voice shouted from behind her. Catra turned around as Adora leaned out to see who it was. Standing there was a tall, well-built women with short white hair, waving at Catra and smiling brightly. 

________

_ Goddamnit.  _

Of course, just when Catra’s actually having a good time, something had to happen. Having one person Catra spared the soul of because her heart got in the way around was one thing, but two of them? Catra didn’t think she could handle the guilt that swirled around in her stomach, since neither of them were any the wiser to what Catra had, or rather hadn’t, done. That, and Adora had no clue that Catra had slept with Scorpia only a few days prior, which made Catra feel even worse.

“Oh, hey, Scorpia!” Adora said, waving back with a smile. Adora turned to look at Catra, raising an eyebrow. “You know her?”  _ I should be asking you that,  _ Catra thought.  _ And no, I don’t  _ know _ her.  _ Catra knew somewhat what she was like in bed, and not much beyond that. But she knew Scorpia well enough to know that she didn’t deserve what Catra would have done to her. She didn’t deserve what she would’ve, and maybe should’ve, done to Adora. 

“Yeah, you could say that,” Catra settled on answering with. Scorpia, meanwhile, walked over to stand in front of the pair’s table. Adora, seemingly oblivious to Catra’s sudden discomfort (or hopefully, Catra just hid it well), grinned up at the well-built woman. 

“Well, I, uh, I didn’t expect to see you here,” Scorpia said to Catra, a sheepish smile and small blush on face and  _ damn it all,  _ why did both the people Catra had spared have to be  adorably dorky? 

“Neither did I,” Catra replied. Turning her attention to Adora, she asked, “So, you two know each other?” 

Adora nodded. “Yup! Scorpia here goes to the gym a lot, so I see her around.” That figured. Scorpia looked like she could throw Catra across the room if she wanted to, so her being a regular at the gym was unsurprising. 

Fortunately for Catra, Scorpia and Adora settled into making small talk, relieving Catra of the pressure of having to talk to the white-haired woman. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Scorpia, not really. It was more that she didn’t know what to say to her. She had never kept in contact with the people she slept with after the fact...that is, until Adora came along. But Catra didn’t think she could handle having to keep up appearances with both of them around for much longer, not when both of them were a deadly combination of attractive (in a purely aesthetic sense, of course) and oblivious to any of Catra’s ulterior motives.

Catra let out an internal sigh of relief when Scorpia finally moved on to ordering her food, going to sit with a short woman with long, wild purple hair in another booth. Adora and her agreed to split the check, and the time came for them to part ways. Oddly, Catra felt almost sad about it for a second or two, then immediately remembered that she wasn’t supposed to care. She was just doing this for Adora out of...pity. Yeah, that was it. And maybe guilt, too. But it’s not like she  _ enjoyed _ spending time with Adora. Of course not.

Demons don’t have souls. So how could she feel anything more than apathy towards the blonde, anyway?

“Bye, Catra!” Adora said with a broad smile. Catra found herself smiling back, and her heart skipped a beat.

“Bye,” she said, with a wave, turning and leaving the cafe.

A few seconds later, she found Adora walking along beside her.

_ Oh, right, she would go this way, too,  _ Catra thought to herself. Adora opened her mouth, stopped, then shut it again, seemingly content to just walk beside Catra in silence, until they eventually came to a fork in the road and had to actually part ways. 

_...Goddamnit. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adora's going to figure things out eventually, I swear. But for now, she's left to be blissfully unaware of the fact that she slept with a literal demon, and then took her out on a date afterwards. 
> 
> Btw, there will be more fluff in this fic, as well as angst, and yes, probably some smut (eventually). So keep an eye out for that ;)
> 
> Thank you for reading, and remember to take care of yourself, guys. Have a good day!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Catra comes to an important conclusion.

It had been about a week since Catra and Adora had had lunch at the cafe together, and the memory still made Adora giddy. It had been what she considered her first real, extended conversation with Catra, one where their words didn’t feel awkward or forced. Adora got to see Catra with her guard down, relaxed and just being... _ herself.  _

And god, if seeing Catra be herself, laughing and joking and grinning freely didn’t make Adora feel like she was on cloud nine. She was always beautiful, but seeing her happy was even better. The way her eyes crinkled up at the edges when she laughed, the way her multicolored eyes shone when she smiled. Adora couldn’t keep a smile off of her face thinking about it. She even enjoyed it when Catra poked fun at her, which she seemed fond of doing. Not that Adora minded. In fact, she found it kind of endearing.

“Earth to Adora? Anybody in there?” Adora came to as Glimmer waved a hand in front of her face. What was she supposed to be doing? She looked at the TV in front of her, where her character in Mario Kart was in dead last and driving into a wall. Oh, right. 

“So, I take it from the dreamy look you’ve had on your face all day that your date with Catra went well?” Bow asked with a smile. 

“For the last time, it wasn’t a date,” Adora protested. “...but yeah, we had fun,” she added.

“Oh? What kind of fun?” Glimmer teased, nudging her playfully. Adora gave her a light shove.

“Shut up,” she said, despite the grin on her face. “All we did was have a nice lunch together. Catra seemed like she enjoyed it, anyway.”

“That’s great!” Bow cheered. “So, do you think you guys will go out again?” “I sure hope so,” Adora said. 

And she really, really did.

________

It was official: Catra was an idiot. And quite possibly the stupidest demon to ever walk the earth, too.

The succubus flopped onto her bed and groaned into her pillow. Really, what had came over her when she agreed to go out to this stupid cafe with Adora? Because Catra had things to do, and having Adora’s  beautiful idiotic smile stuck in her head wasn’t doing her focus any favors. 

It both confused and infuriated her. She was a  _ demon,  _ for god’s sake. She wasn’t supposed to feel much of anything for anyone, let alone... _ affection. _ Or whatever she felt towards Adora. Not that it was much, of course. But Catra was aware that she felt  _ something _ for her, more than indifference, and more than pity. 

And of course, the first time she feels something like this in years, it’s for an oblivious idiot. It had been over a month, and Adora still hadn’t realized that Catra was the succubus she had summoned. Catra initially considered telling her, but something tightened in her at the thought. Adora liked spending time with Catra, that much was sure. She saw Catra as a friend. And just like Catra couldn’t bring herself to take a part of her soul that morning, she just couldn’t get herself to burst Adora’s bubble. She imagined what Adora’s face would look like once she figured it out. Probably something akin to the expression of a kicked puppy. 

Catra, not wanting to dwell on that thought, wondered if this was a breach of some sort of succubus code of conduct. She already broke her number one rule: don’t contact the person after having slept with them, ever. She didn’t exactly know any other succubi to compare her experiences to. While she knew that other demons did exist, and probably other demons like her, too, the only other one she had ever met was Shadow Weaver, and she was a...different type of demon. 

Or at least, the only other demon she’d met that she knew of. Maybe Adora was really a succubus, pretending to be human. That would explain how she managed to get Catra to actually feel something for her. Catra smiled at the thought of Adora trying to seduce someone. If Catra’s experience with her was any indication, she’d probably get tongue-tied and red in the face before she could get anywhere. That dork.

Oh no. And now Catra was thinking affectionate thoughts about her?  _ Nope,  _ Catra decided.  _ That’s not for me. That’s not  _ me. She could handle these thoughts. This was just some sort of admiration, a fleeting crush that would be gone as soon as Catra let it.  _ Or as soon as Adora realizes what I am. _

Lots of things were strange about these circumstances Catra was in, but one of the new things was feeling guilty. She felt bad for not telling Adora that she was a demon. But it wasn’t like she had felt remorse for any of her other victims (Scorpia didn’t count, since she was post-Adora), or regretted taking a part of their soul. Lots of them were jerks, anyway, and sleeping with them was purely means to an end. And if she ever started to feel the smallest bit ashamed, she would just remind herself that it’s not like she’s doing a lot of damage to them, anyway.

Catra stared at the ceiling, as though it would give her an answer. The more that she thought about it, the more Catra felt like she owed Adora an explanation. Normally, she wouldn’t need to explicitly state that she was a succubus; the ones she slept with just to get by didn’t need to know, since she never kept in contact with them after one night, and the ones who had summoned her were plenty aware. But then, Adora seemed to be the exception to all of Catra’s rules lately. 

She had expected Adora to figure it out by now, but seeing as she hadn’t, Catra saw only one option, even though it wasn’t a pleasant one: to break it to her herself.

Catra rolled over and was reaching for her phone on her nightstand when it suddenly vibrated. Catra picked it up.

_ Adora: Hey, so I don’t know if this is too sudden, but would you maybe want to hang out at my place tonight? _

_ Adora: I’ve got snacks _

Catra peered at the screen. She sighed.  _ It’s now or never, I guess. _

_What time should I come?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this was a bit short, I'm kinda preoccupied with other things as of late, and this is supposed to be more of a filler chapter anyway, to set up the next chapter.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you liked this, reader. And if you did, please leave a kudos, and stay tuned for the next chapter! Have a good day!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Catra comes over, and makes her confession.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! So, since I got such overwhelming support for the continuation of this story (I love you guys, I don’t think I’ve ever gotten so many comments on a chapter), here is the next chapter! Seriously, thank you all for all the support. I’m excited, for this chapter and the next one, too.
> 
> Also, a note for your imagination’s sake: in this story, Catra still has long hair, as before season 5. I might have her get a haircut later in the story, but that’s what I’m sticking with for now. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Adora didn’t get nervous easily. But she couldn’t remember the last time she had gone on such a cleaning spree just because someone was coming over. It wasn’t like she had people over often, apart from Glimmer, Bow, and some of her other friends. She had gone on dates before, sure, but it had been a long time since she’d brought a girl over to her house.  _ And I’ve certainly never had anyone like  _ Catra  _ here. _

“Doing some spring cleaning?” Glimmer asked, leaning against the doorway. Adora ran a finger over the surface of her bedroom shelf, and upon seeing the amount of dust she immediately grabbed the spray bottle.

“First of all, it’s late July,” Adora said, spraying the surface and wiping it down with a cloth. “And second, Catra’s coming over tonight.”

Adora glanced up at Glimmer. The pink-haired girl was grinning ear to ear, and her expression was like that of a kid who had just been told they’d be going to Disneyland. “...what?”

“Oh, nothing,” Glimmer said, still smiling. “I’m just...I’m happy for you.” Glimmer’s eyes softened with sincerity. “I know it’s been a while since you’ve been with someone, and it really seems like you’ve been happier since you met her.”

Now that she thought about it, Adora realized it was true. She felt like a lovestruck teenager when she thought about Catra, butterflies and all. And while she was a little nervous for tonight, she was more so excited to spend some more time with her.

“Thanks,” Adora said, returning the smile. 

After Adora finished tidying up nearly the entire house, Glimmer challenged her to a couple rounds of Mario Kart. Adora won with ease, and as Glimmer left the house, Glimmer pulled out her phone, grinning as she typed.

_ Glimmer: so apparently Adora is having Catra over at her house tonight _

_ Bow: So that’s why she’s been so spacey lately _

_ Bow: Five bucks they’re gonna end up making out on her couch _

_ Glimmer: you’re on _

**> <><><><><><><**

Catra combed her hand through her hair as she paced back and forth across the living room. Her fingers got stuck on the knots in her hair.  _ I should probably comb it,  _ Catra thought, and went up to her room to do so, albeit reluctantly.

Catra wasn’t exactly sure what she would call hanging out at Adora place. Was it a date? Was Adora just wanting to hook up again? Knowing her, it probably wasn’t that. Sure, Adora liked her, that much was obvious. But she didn’t strike Catra as someone who would invite her over purely to have sex with her.

So why was Catra so  _ nervous? _ It was just spending some more time with Adora. They’d probably just have some snacks, watch a movie, that sort of thing. So why was her heart beating so quick in her chest whenever she thought about it? Anxiety and nerves weren’t exactly something new to Catra, but she’d never...felt it in a context that wasn’t negative. In fact, if their time at the cafe was any indication, she’d probably really enjoy herself.

As Catra’s clock on her nightstand glowed 6:40, Catra took a look at herself in the mirror. Although her hair looked less unruly than usual, she still only had on a tank top and some sweatpants. She threw on in its place a black-and-red flannel shirt she was fond of and a pair of jeans. Content with her look, she left for Adora’s place.

During the walk, Catra thought about what she had wanted to avoid: telling Adora who she really was. She didn’t want to break the news to her, but it seemed as though she had no other choice. At this rate, Adora would never find out on her own, and while Catra might not have been the best person in the world, she at least felt that Adora deserved to know the truth. 

It was the aftermath Catra wasn’t looking forward to. She could take a pretty good guess at what would happen: Adora would be shocked, betrayed, so many things, and Catra would have to ask Shadow Weaver about skipping town again, and Catra would have to cut any and all connection she still had to Adora, assuming Adora didn’t do that first. She wondered how Adora would feel knowing that that ritual to summon a succubus had actually worked.  ~~ She wondered if she’d ever see her smile again after tonight. ~~

Catra approached the door of a small, white house. It was about what Catra had expected Adora’s house to look like: quaint, but clearly very well maintained, and while it was a little plain, it was nice. Catra took a deep breath, and rang the doorbell.

From inside, Catra could hear the sound of rapid footsteps, followed by what she could only describe as something falling down stairs, followed by a quiet cursing.

“Adora? You alright in there?” Catra called out.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Adora shouted. A few seconds later, the door swung open, the blonde standing there with a sheepish look on her face. 

Catra smirked. “What happened there, princess?” Adora rubbed the back of her neck, glancing away.

“I, um...I tripped down the stairs,” she said. Catra grinned, almost laughing out loud. Such a klutz.

“Just couldn’t wait to see me, huh?” Adora smiled, her cheeks a light pink as she let Catra inside.

Catra slowly walked through the hallway, looking at the living room to her left, a small dining room to her right, and the kitchen and aforementioned stairs in front of her. It seemed that Adora was more of a minimalist than Catra was. Where Catra would probably have all sorts of stuff scattered about, Adora seemed to keep everything all neat and organized. The place was decorated sparingly, but not so much as to feel barren. 

It was one such decoration that caught Catra’s eye. Turning back to Adora, she asked, “Is that a Grayskull poster?”

“Oh, yeah, it is,” Adora replied, glancing at the poster hanging on the wall of her living room. “...do you know them?”   
  


“You kidding me? I’ve loved that band ever since I was a little kid,” Catra exclaimed. Adora’s face brightened, and she beamed.

“So have I! God, it feels like just yesterday that I first heard Warrior…” The two started sharing their own experiences with the rock band, talking about their favorite songs, their less-liked songs, and even the concerts they’ve attended. As the conversation went on, Catra followed Adora into her living room and sat down on the sofa with her.

“...so, what do you want to do?” Adora asked, breaking the silence that had formed. Catra looked around the room, her gaze resting on the game console underneath her TV. A smile spread across her face.

“I think I’ve got an idea.”

**> <><><><><><><**

Adora, as it turned out, had a serious competitive streak. Catra considered herself to be pretty good at Mario Kart, but beating Adora turned out to be a challenge. Both of them were fiercely determined to win, and the prize of first place went back and forth between them.

Catra had lost to Adora three times in a row now. This was unacceptable, of course, so she decided to resort to some more...unorthodox methods. 

They were nearing the end of the last lap, and Adora was in the lead. Catra shifted closer to her on the couch and leaned in close to Adora.

“Hey, Adora?” she purred, her voice low and husky right next to Adora’s ear. Adora sat straight up, and she nearly dropped her controller. 

“Um, uh, huh? What?” she stammered, her cheeks going pink. She looked at Catra, and Catra looked back into her eyes. They held eye contact, their faces only little more than a foot apart. Catra smiled, before boosting her car on screen right past Adora’s and across the finish line.

“Hey, no fair!” Adora exclaimed. Catra shrugged.

“All I did was say something. Not my fault you got distracted,” she said with a grin. Adora gave a huff and crossed her arms, but Catra didn’t miss the way she was trying to keep a smile off of her face.

“That was cheating, and you know it.” Catra put her hands up in her defense.

“Nonsense, I have done no wrong,” she said. Adora rolled her eyes, and tossed a nearby throw pillow at Catra’s face. Catra pondered throwing it back, but she wasn’t sure she could handle getting into a pillow fight with Adora; if the muscle definition of her arms was any indication, Catra wouldn’t stand a chance. Also, she did kind of deserve it.

They went to Adora’s kitchen, and after some debate, they settled on some popcorn and chips for snacks, and brought them out to the living room.

“So, do you, um...wanna watch a movie, or something?” Adora asked her. She was obviously unsure of herself, and Catra was simultaneously flattered and mildly concerned. Teasing Adora and getting her flustered was fun, sure, but she didn’t want Adora to be uncomfortable around her.  _ At least, for as long as I can keep it that way. _

“Hmm...how about that one?” Catra pointed at the screen. It was one that she knew had gotten tons of positive reviews for great queer representation, and the main couple being two women together. Adora glanced at the description of the movie, bit her lip, and pressed play.

Maybe twenty minutes into the movie, Catra realized the position they were in. Somehow, they had gone from sitting next to each other on the couch to where they were now: Catra was draped across Adora’s lap, head resting on the armrest, Adora also leaning on said armrest. At some point, Adora had casually laid her arm over Catra’s legs. Catra looked up at Adora, but she didn’t seem to notice, immersed in the movie. 

Catra turned her attention back to the television screen, and for a while, they simply rested like that, a comfortable quiet settling between them, except for the occasional comment or remark. 

At some point, though, the main couple started getting...intimate with one another. Heated kissing led to clothes coming off, and Catra was beginning to regret her decision. The two women onscreen had their hands wandering all over each other’s body, whispering sweet words to one another. Catra involuntarily squirmed in her seat, and she felt Adora tense beneath her. 

The tension in the room was palpable now. Catra took a deep breath, and glanced up at Adora. She was surprised to see those blue eyes looking right back at her. 

Catra sat up, and Adora’s gaze dropped to her lips for just a moment. That moment was enough for Catra, as she sat up, straddling Adora’s hips now. Their faces were close, so close. Catra could feel Adora’s warm breath against her face, and she felt her eyes being drawn to Adora’s lips, too. She leaned forward, even closer. Adora’s eyes fluttered shut, and Catra closed the distance between them.

Adora froze, for just a moment, before returning the kiss in full. She draped her arms over Catra’s shoulders, then moved them to simply wrap around her, enveloping her. The kiss was gentle, but not for long, as Catra bit Adora’s lip, tugging on it, and Adora’s head tilted back as she  _ groaned _ , and suddenly Catra couldn’t think of anything but wanting to hear that sound again, and again, and  _ more. _

Catra rolled her hips into Adora’s, and a quiet gasp came from the girl underneath her. Catra smirked into the kiss. Her hands wandered, from Adora’s neck, to her shoulders, her sides, her hips, brushing her fingers lightly along the skin, just taking her time to feel her, both for her pleasure and for how Adora shivered under her touch.

Suddenly, Adora pulled away and stood up. Catra instinctively wrapped her legs around Adora’s waist, as Adora’s arms shifted lower on her body to hold her up. Catra laughed.

“Geeze, Adora, skip leg day every once in a while,” she muttered, trying to hide the fact that she was genuinely impressed, and maybe just a little bit more turned on, because  _ goddamn _ , she knew Adora was strong, but it was one thing to trace her muscular body with her eyes, and but to have all that muscle used to pick her up in the middle of making out was another thing entirely.

Catra wasn’t sure how they made it to Adora’s bedroom, but they did it, somehow. As Catra continued to press kisses and soft bites all over her neck, pulling her shirt down just enough to leave marks on her shoulders and clavicle, too, Adora stumbled a little on the stairs. Catra, although reluctantly, willed herself to wait until they got upstairs, not wanting Adora to fall down the stairs two times in one night.

The minute they were in the room, they were up against the wall, Adora moving to kiss Catra’s neck now. She was softer than Catra was, and slower, and Catra was about to complain when Adora bit down on her pulse,  _ hard _ , and all Catra could do was groan, arching her back just a little. 

Adora noticed the movement. She glanced down, at Catra’s chest, at the rest of her, and then back up to her eyes, like she was looking for confirmation, consent.  _ Ever the polite one. _ Catra nodded, and Adora gripped the hem of her shirt and was just about to pull it off of her, when something in the bedroom caught Catra’s eye.

In the space underneath Adora’s nightstand was a sizable book, just barely sticking out. It had an old-fashioned, black leather cover, and gold trim that was unfortunately familiar to Catra. She suddenly remembered what she had came here to do--which was to say, not Adora. It took all of her willpower to stop--because really, it would be so much easier just to end up in bed with Adora, to sleep with her again, and to forget, just for one night, that she was a terrible person--but she did, anyway.

“Hey, Adora? What’s that book over there?” Catra asked. She knew the answer, but she wanted to give Adora one last chance to connect the dots. Adora looked over.

“Oh, um, that’s, uh, that’s nothing,” she quickly assured. Catra looked up at Adora. God, this girl was an idiot. Catra sighed.

“Right. Look, Adora, I need to...I need to talk to you, about something.” Adora’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, worry replacing embarrassment in her eyes now.  _ You didn’t do anything wrong,  _ Catra thought, as though she could somehow communicate it telepathically to her.  _ It’s me. I’m the problem.  _ I’m _ the problem. _

Adora took a step back, and Catra walked to the bed. She sat down on the edge, reaching down and picking up the book. “Demons and How to Summon Them”, the title read. So stupid. Why would someone like Adora want to summon a demon, anyway? Let alone a succubus? Maybe Catra would ask her, if Adora could stand to talk to her after this.

Adora sat down beside her, and as soon as she spotted Catra holding the book, she stuttered, “I--um--I swear, this isn’t what it looks like, I’m just--just really interested in...mythology, and magical creatures, you know, that sort of--”   
  
“Adora.” Catra cut her off. She looked into Adora’s eyes, those blue pools, and Catra remembered how they’d looked at her with so much kindness, even love, that one night. She had been drunk, of course. Adora hardly even knew her, but she had told Catra in that soft voice, “You’re beautiful” all the same. And even now, she willingly spent time with Catra, laughed at her jokes, teased her back, and smiled at her with that dorky grin of hers that made Catra’s heart skip a beat. 

_ And all of it’s going to end as soon as she knows the truth. _

“I’m going to tell you something, and it’s going to sound crazy, I know, but you’ve gotta promise me not to freak out, okay?” Adora looked at Catra, down at the book, and back at Catra again, as though looking for what was about to come.

“Uh, sure,” she said. Catra’s thoughts told her to stop, to turn back while she still could, to make something up, just so she could keep doing this. But she knew what she had to do, what she had to tell her. She deserved it.

“I’m a demon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was about time the cat(ra) was let out of the bag.
> 
> Seriously, though, thank you all for all the sweet comments and support you showed. Honestly, I didn't know that many people actively read this story. I had just been...well, filled with lots of thoughts and emotions after the finale, and I guess the bittersweet feeling of there being no more She-ra left to watch somehow translated to being unsure about continuing this story, and...yeah, it was kind of stupid now that I look back at it. I'll definitely be continuing this fanfic, and like you guys, I will be looking forward to and enjoying all the sweet, sweet Catradora content that's on here. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which questions are (somewhat) answered, and Adora comes to terms with who exactly Catra is.

“Excuse me, you’re a  _ what? _ ” Adora said, laughing somewhat nervously. She was still a little embarrassed about Catra finding that book, she knew she should have returned it sooner. 

Catra was joking, she had to be, but she wasn’t sure why she would want to interrupt...whatever they had been about to do just to make that joke. Still, she played it off. “Sure, you might be a little mean, but demon is a pretty far stretch.”

The thing was, Catra looked uncomfortable, too uncomfortable for her not to be taking this seriously. Catra rubbed her temples and let out an annoyed groan.

“Man, you really are an idiot, huh,” she muttered. Before Adora could say anything more, Catra held up the book on demons and jabbed a finger at the cover. “You remember when you did a ritual to summon a succubus? A month ago? Yeah, that was me.”

Adora blinked, her mind drawing a blank. She looked from the book, to Catra, and back at the book again. She recalled the ritual, but after a week had passed and she hadn’t seen any results, she had forgotten about it entirely. Besides, then she met Catra, and from that point on she was basically all she could think about.

Wait a minute.

“Wait,  _ what? _ ” Adora said, her mind finally connecting the dots. But how? Demons weren’t even real, right? And there was no way  _ Catra  _ could be a demon. She had been so nice to Adora, though, and she seemed to be for the most part a regular human being. If she really was somehow a soulless being sent from the depths of hell, Adora was pretty sure she would have noticed. 

Catra, who hadn’t looked at Adora directly since she sat down, flipped through the pages of the demonology book until she came to the page on succubi, letting the page lie there on her lap like it could explain to Adora what she was coming to realize.

“Wait, so you’re...you’re an actual demon? A  _ sex _ demon? That I  _ summoned _ ?” Adora stammered. She wasn’t quite sure how to process what was happening, her brain was still trying to catch up. 

“Yeah, basically,” Catra nodded. “You summoned me, and it took me a bit to get to Brightmoon, but here I am.” Catra was looking everywhere but at Adora. She said it all matter-of-factly, like she wasn’t dropping a complete bombshell on Adora. 

“But...but there’s no way,” Adora stammered. “How do I know you’re not just pulling a prank on me? Like, can you do magic and stuff? Do you have horns? A tail?” 

Catra sighed, sounding a cross between annoyed and sad. She was doing that a lot lately. She turned to face Adora, eyes immediately locking with Adora’s. All of a sudden, Adora felt like a deer in headlights, accompanied by a slight sense of deja vu. She was struck by the realization that Catra’s eyes were certainly beautiful, but right now Adora didn’t think she’d be able to tear her gaze away if she wanted to. 

“Stand up.” And Adora did, before she could even think about what she was doing. Catra held out the demonology book. “Take the book from me,” she said, and Adora obeyed, standing stock still once she had it in her hands, processing what was happening to her, what Catra was doing to her. Catra blinked, once, twice, before looking away, and the feeling of entrancement disappeared. 

Adora sat back down beside Catra, dumbfounded. What was she supposed to say? Where could she even  _ start _ with this? Had Catra used that magic on her before? How many other people had she done...all this to? Did she really not have a soul? Did Adora sleep with a literal demon? Was Catra actually an immortal being who had been seducing mortals for centuries?

Adora started with the question at the forefront of her mind. “Did...does that mean that you...you took part of my soul? When we…” Catra’s fingers dug into the blanket.

“No, no I didn’t. I was supposed to, I was supposed to just...just take what I needed that one night. And then in the morning, I was supposed to leave and never talk to you ever again,” Catra said. “But I couldn’t do it. I saw you, asleep next to me, and I just…” Catra’s gaze fell to her lap, and her voice softened. “I couldn’t do it.”

“And then, then you texted me, and then I felt awful, and I thought hey, I’ve already done one thing a succubus is never supposed to do, what’s one more fuck-up?” Catra’s voice was unsteady, angry and building momentum. “So I met up with you, and at first, it was nothing. No big deal, but I...but I _liked it_. God damnit, I _liked_ spending time with you, and every time I thought about cutting you off, I just couldn’t get myself to do it, because I’m a _fucking_ _coward_ , and I screwed everything up, I _always_ screw _everything_ up, that’s all I _ever_ _do_ , and…and...”

Catra’s eyes shone with tears, and for a moment, no one said anything. Adora shifted closer, just a little, started to reach out to her, before Catra stood up. 

“I should go,” she muttered, still facing the floor. “I’ve caused you enough trouble.”

She started for the door, but Adora’s hand shot out to grab Catra’s wrist. “Catra, wait.”

“Please,” Adora said. Catra paused, and slowly, she turned around, eyes going from Adora’s hand on her arm, to Adora herself. Adora released her grip, sliding her hand down so she was grasping Catra’s hand in hers. Her eyes met Catra’s. “Stay.” 

Catra looked at Adora, her eyebrows furrowed, like she was trying to figure out what Adora meant, or why. For a moment, Adora thought Catra would leave anyway. But she didn’t. Instead, she quietly sat back down, cradling her arms in one another. She looked vulnerable, but at the same time, she still had her guard up. Adora couldn’t blame her.

They sat there, and the silence between them was full of unspoken words. Still, Adora didn’t quite know what to say.. 

“Thank you,” was what came out. 

“What?” Catra asked. Adora looked at her again, and this time Catra looked back.

“Thanks. For...not taking my soul, I guess,” Adora said. Catra stared at her with a dumbfounded expression, blinking for a second or two. Then, she started chuckling, which turned into her doubled over with laughter, leaving Adora even more confused than she already was. 

“Oh god, you are too much, princess,” Catra said, leaning back on her hands. Adora wasn’t exactly sure what happened there, but regardless, Catra seemed to be more relaxed now. 

“...so, what now?” Adora asked. Catra shrugged.

“I don’t know. I figured you’d have either thrown me out or called the cops or something by now, so I never really got this far.” Catra glanced back at Adora. “Honestly, I’m surprised you still haven’t.” 

“Nope,” Adora said, shaking her head. “I’ve still got questions. A lot, actually.” Catra nodded.

“Yeah, I expected as much,” she replied. She took a deep, somewhat shaky breath in, and let it out, turning to face Adora. “So, what do you want to know?”

Adora thought about it for a moment. Obviously, this was a lot to take in, but what stood out to her most was the bit about taking Adora’s soul. Had Catra taken other people’s souls? How many people had she done this to? What would’ve happened to Adora if she’d gone through with it? Hell, how could she even take someone’s soul in the first place? All this and more was swirling through Adora’s head, making it hard for her to focus on one to put in words.

“Do you--” Adora started, but was cut off by the sound of a ringtone echoing through the house. Catra looked at the doorway, then back at Adora, before standing up again. 

“I’ll go get it,” she said, dashing out of the room and down the stairs, leaving Adora alone in her room. She had just resigned herself to staring up at the ceiling and pondering the situation she was in now when Catra reappeared in the doorway, phone in hand, looking somewhere between annoyed and worried. 

“I’ve got to go, I’m sorry,” she blurted out. 

“What happened? Is something wrong?” Adora asked, more than a little disappointed, but seeing no reason to stop her, since it was clearly something urgent.

“Yes--no--I…” Catra sighed. “Something just came up, and I’ve gotta get home. I’m sorry.” Catra turned and was about to leave, when Adora called out to her. 

“Wait,” she shouted, running out of her room. Catra did, stopping on her way down the staircase. “Can we still...talk about this? Some other time?”

Catra looked her up and down, and just like earlier, Adora felt like she was somehow trying to figure something out about Adora. Like she was judging something about her. Whatever conclusion she came to, she met Adora’s eyes and nodded.

“Yeah, sure.” And with that, Catra pulled open the door and walked outside, practically jogging away. 

Adora stood there, in her bedroom doorway, staring at the now shut door. 

_ Well, that was one hell of an evening. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would've extended this, but after I started writing the next part I decided I'd save it for the next chapter. Didn't want to leave you guys on a cliffhanger for too long, anyway ;)
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed this! Thanks for reading, and have a good day!
> 
> P.S.: Who do you think called Catra?


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Shadow Weaver and Catra have a talk.

It was never,  _ ever _ a good thing when Shadow Weaver called Catra. Most the time, she was out of the house doing god only knows what--Catra only had a faint idea of how she spent her time, but after having lived with her for several years, and more recently seeing her come home with blood on her hands, she knew that her business was shady, to say the least. Even when she felt like checking up on Catra, she only ever did so through text. But calling her instead? She was pissed.

Catra ran through what she’d done that day. Had she done anything to upset her? She hadn’t even seen Shadow Weaver yet today, since she’d left before Catra had gotten up. All Catra had done before going over to Adora’s was watch TV, listen to music, and work on some commissions. All things she did on a regular basis.

_ Oh god, does she know about Adora?  _ The thought made Catra’s blood run cold, and her heart was filled with worry. Shadow Weaver had been the one who told her about the “rules” demons, and succubi, had to follow, after all. And if Catra, the kind of person who rebelled against any rules they didn’t like in favor of something that better suited them, was concerned about breaking the no-contact rule, then she didn’t want to imagine how Shadow Weaver would react. 

She didn’t know how she could possibly find out about Adora, though. It wasn’t like Catra had anything from her that she left around the house. In fact, the only somewhat physical evidence she could think of that would indicate she’d been talking with Adora would be the text exchanges they’ve had, on Catra’s phone.  _ But why would she look through my phone? It’s not like I’ve done anything that would warrant it, right? _

While Catra’s mind tried to find an explanation for it, trying to rationalize it in the hopes that it wasn’t that bad, her heart was pounding in her ribcage the whole way home. Regardless of the reason, nothing that would make Shadow Weaver want Catra home immediately could be good. A tiny voice in the back of Catra’s voice, the one fueling most of her worry, told her  _ this is it, this is the day she snaps, the day she gives up on you, the day she kicks you out onto the street, or worse. _

Catra opened the door to the house, and froze. Shadow Weaver was there, sitting on the living room couch. But she wasn’t looking at Catra; in fact, Catra wasn’t even sure Shadow Weaver knew she was there. She was pointedly facing the wall to her right, with one hand clasped over her face. While she appeared to be holding herself with her usual unaffected poise, she seemed oddly stiff. Catra could hear her uneven breaths in the near silence of the house. 

“Uh, I-” Catra started.

“Catra,” Shadow Weaver rasped. “Would you be a dear and bring me my spare mask? It’s in the second drawer of my nightstand.” Her voice was strained, like she was trying her hardest to keep herself calm and collected. 

Oh. Catra opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it, and instead started up the stairs. She had never seen Shadow Weaver without that weird mask on - she never took it off, not even to sleep. Once, when she had first met Shadow Weaver, had she dared to ask about it. Shadow Weaver had gone quiet, and told Catra that it was none of her concern, in a voice that made it clear she wouldn’t tolerate any further questions. Catra had to wonder how messed up her face must be to hide it as much as she did. After all, Shadow Weaver had been a demon for much longer than Catra--who knows what the magic she used did to someone’s appearance.

Catra pulled open the nightstand’s drawer in Shadow Weaver’s bedroom, and sure enough, there was a mask, perfectly identical to her old one. It was red, with white eyes rimmed with black, and had a shining red gem embedded in the forehead. Shadow Weaver called it a black garnet, and maybe Catra was just colorblind, but she didn’t think it was anywhere near black. 

Catra jogged back downstairs and cautiously handed Shadow Weaver the mask. Part of her wanted to step in front of her line of sight, to see what her face really looked like. But she overruled that urge. It wasn’t worth it. And besides, she still didn’t know why Shadow Weaver had called her, because surely it wasn’t just over her mask. But that brought up questions of its own, too; what happened to her previous mask? Did it break? Was it lost? Stolen? But that meant she would have had to take it off at some point, and what would she do that for?

  
Shadow Weaver put the on her face, clicking the clasp in place behind her head, covered by her long black hair. She turned to face Catra now, although she seemed only a little less tense than before.

“Have you been seeing anyone, Catra?” The question felt like a punch in the gut. Catra’s heart shot up to her throat.  _ She knows. She knows she knows she knows she knows _ .

“N-no, why?” Catra tried and failed to keep the stutter out of her voice. 

“Are you sure? No one has stopped by the house? No one strange or unusual has approached you?” Shadow Weaver pressed. This stopped Catra’s frantic train of thought in its tracks. Adora had never been by the house. And sure, she was a little thick-headed, but there wasn’t anything particularly odd about her. 

“No, not as far as I know,” Catra answered. “Why?” 

It was funny how Shadow Weaver could always have her face hidden behind a mask, and yet Catra could almost always tell what expression she was giving Catra. Not that she imagined Shadow Weaver was particularly expressive; she struck Catra as the kind who liked to have a cold, stoic look at all times. But right now, Catra could practically feel Shadow Weaver glaring at Catra. Prying, searching. Skeptical. Suspicious.

If Catra’s assumptions were right, though, Shadow Weaver didn’t let on. She glanced at the clock on the wall. 8:50.

“And you haven’t seen anyone wearing this symbol?” Shadow Weaver picked up a piece of white fabric from the coffee table in front of her, and held it up to Catra. On it was what appeared to be a small diamond, with two dragon or bat-like wings on either side of it.

“No, I haven’t. What’s going on?” Why was Shadow Weaver so concerned about this? Did she get into some hot water with some sort of demon gang or something? Maybe it was just a demon thing that Catra didn’t know about. After all, as Shadow Weaver had reiterated to her time and time again, succubi were an  inferior very different kind of demon from what Shadow Weaver did. 

“It doesn’t concern you,” Shadow Weaver said, after a brief pause. “But if you see anyone with this symbol, anyone who says they are a part of the Horde, or if anyone strange or noteworthy comes by the house, do not interact with them, and let me know immediately.”    


And with that, Shadow Weaver stood up and went upstairs to her bedroom, leaving Catra with more questions than answers. But at least she had the relief of knowing that it wasn’t Adora Shadow Weaver had an issue with. Besides, she wasn’t lying when she said that she’d never seen that symbol before, and nor had she heard about something called the Horde. As long as Shadow Weaver didn’t know about Adora, Shadow Weaver could deal with whoever the Horde was. It was like Shadow Weaver said - it wasn’t any of Catra’s concern.

And Catra intended on keeping it that way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was on the short end, but I felt like it belonged separately from the chapter before it and what will come after. Although who knows, maybe one day I'll write a really long one. Honestly, though, that'll probably be the smut chapter (yes, there will be one eventually, I promise).
> 
> Thanks for reading! I hope you liked this chapter, and if you did, please consider leaving a kudos, or a comment for me to read! Have a good day!


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Catra and Adora talk, again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, but I hope this longer-than-normal chapter makes up for it! Enjoy!

Adora felt, to put it lightly, conflicted. On one hand, Catra was a demon. A literal succubus, a magical being who seduced people and took their souls. And the same thing had almost happened to Adora.

Well, the soul part, anyway. That was what Adora felt conflicted about. With this newfound knowledge about who Catra was, her feelings for Catra had gotten more complicated, yes. But they hadn’t diminished. Even now, she just couldn’t believe that Catra was a bad person. Because if she was a bad person, then she wouldn’t have spared Adora. She wouldn’t have kept spending time with Adora if she didn’t care about her. 

Adora hadn’t met very many people whom she would call a bad person, but she had met enough of them to know that they didn’t care about other people. And if any of the stories she had read were to be trusted, then demons were the worst kind of bad people: they didn’t feel anything.

She couldn’t disprove what Catra had shown her - the magic. A part of Adora feared that her feelings for Catra were just fabricated, that she had been manipulated and tricked into this believing that Catra was a good person. But why would Catra do that, then open up to Adora about all of this stuff?

Adora’s thoughts chased each other in circles like this, over and over again. It was unbearable. She woke up the next day, and knew that she had to see Catra again, and soon. Even if she wouldn’t get concrete answers on everything, she could get some clarity on her own feelings, at least.  _ And maybe shine some light on Catra’s, too. _

_ Hey, do you think we could talk again? _

Fortunately, Adora didn’t have to wait long for a reply.

_are u busy this afternoon?_ _Say, around 1?_

_ Nope. _

_ Great. meet me at the Whispering Woods trail, I wanna show you something _

...Well, that wasn’t what Adora expected. She had expected that they would talk at one of their houses or something.The first thought that sprung to mind was  _ Now I know too much and she’s going to off me in the forest like some cliche horror movie _ . But Adora dismissed that, both because she highly doubted Catra wanted to harm her, and also because if she did want to, she probably would’ve done so while she was still at Adora’s house.

Regardless, the Whispering Woods was an odd location for her to pick. It was a dense forest, with only a singular, not very well maintained trail running through it. Adora hadn’t gone there in a while, preferring to do her running on the street, or somewhere a little less remote. But Adora trusted that Catra had a good reason for it.

That afternoon, Adora drove to the small area for parking, right outside the entrance to the woods. No one else was there, unsurprisingly. It was a relatively remote spot, and there were other trails closer to the heart of Brightmoon that were more popular than this one. And it had only just turned 1:00, so Adora wasn’t surprised Catra wasn’t there yet.

She got out of the car, and she gazed up at the tall trees that filled the forest. She wandered towards the entrance, walking a little ways down the path. The trees were so...big, their branches blocking most of the sunlight from reaching the trail. The darkness combined with how the trees seemed to reach impossibly high up in the sky made Adora feel like the place was almost enchanted. Adora didn’t know too much about the Whispering Woods, but if her memory served her right, there were some incredibly old trees here, ones that had been around decades, maybe even centuries before Brightmoon was even founded. It certainly felt ancient, now that Adora was standing in the midst of it. 

_ Crack. _

Adora whipped around. It sounded like a branch breaking, somewhere behind her. In fact, it almost sounded like it was coming from high up. Puzzled, Adora scanned the thick web of leaves and branches above her. Nothing. 

“Hey, Adora,” a whisper came from behind her. Adora might have turned around quickly before, but this time she nearly tripped over her own feet. Once she saw who it was, though, she let out a sigh of relief.

“Catra- god, you almost gave me a heart attack,” Adora scolded, but her tone showed she didn’t mean it. If anything, it was the wide, amused smile on Catra’s face that was making her heart beat faster.

“You flatter me, princess,” she said with a smirk. 

“...so, what’s this thing that you wanted to show me?” Adora asked. 

“You’ll see.” Catra walked in front of her, looking back over her shoulder. “C’mon, I’ll bring you there. We can talk along the way.” Catra started down the trail, and Adora followed after her.

Now that Catra was here, Adora wasn’t sure where to start. Should she make small talk? Should she just...start asking her things? Because, again, there was a lot to ask her about. But Adora didn’t want to be rude or intrusive about it. 

Fortunately, Adora was saved from having to start a conversation, as it was Catra who spoke first. “If I'm being honest, I’m kinda surprised you showed up today.”

“What? Why?” Catra appeared to be more interested in the dirt under her feet all of a sudden. 

“I mean, last time we met, I told you that I’m a demon. I showed you my magic, which lets me make people do things, and I told you that I sleep with people so I can take a piece of their soul.” Catra looked up, and Adora, not for the first time, marvelled at how pretty her eyes were. She wondered if that was a succubus thing, or if that was just her. 

“And yet, you still wanted to talk to me,” Catra said. A small smile formed on her lips. “Either you’re really dumb, or really brave.”   
  
“Hey, I am  _ not! _ ” Adora protested. Catra gave her a look. It took Adora a second to backtrack. “Dumb, I’m not dumb, that is.” Catra chuckled, and Adora did, too, before continuing. “But I wouldn’t say I’m that brave, either. Even if you are some sort of...magical succubus, you’re still you. You’re still Catra. And even if you’ve done some bad things before, the fact that you spared me shows that there’s still good in you.”

“And besides,” Adora added, “if you really were heartless,  _ you _ wouldn’t be here, either.” Her eyes went back to Catra, and she was surprised to see her looking back. She looked thoughtful, like she was processing the fact that Adora wasn’t afraid of her. It had taken Adora some time to process that, too. A moment or two, and Catra’s face broke out into a smile, the one Adora had seen only a precious few times - her soft, warm one, that made her eyes somehow even more beautiful.’’

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Catra said. 

As they continued down the somewhat unkempt trail, they settled into the rhythm of conversation Adora had become comfortable with - which is to say, they chatted like they usually did about just about anything, with Catra playfully teasing Adora whenever she opportunity arose, and Adora doing the same back with a grin. Within maybe fifteen minutes, Catra stopped.

“Okay, we should be pretty close by now,” she said. She turned left off of the path, where there was an opening in the dense branches and thorny plants, and Adora followed. 

Catra weaved through the trees with the ease and grace of someone who knew where they were going. Adora, on the other hand, had gotten her shirt stuck on something, ran into a branch or two, and tripped over a tree root by the time Catra called out that it was just up ahead. 

Adora stepped out into the clearing, and the first thing that she noticed was how bright it was. The trees didn’t loom over this one area, and that let the sun light up the entire place. They were on the edge of a big pond, and just in front of them was a trail of rocks in the water, stepping stones leading up to the huge, almost completely flat one in the center. Across the way, a weeping willow stood, its branches spreading out over the water as though it was sheltering the pond. The water was, apart from some algae, clear, shining in the sunlight. Pink water lilies dotted its still surface. 

“Wow,” she breathed. Catra chuckled beside her. 

“Yeah, that’s how I felt when I saw it too. Who knew that getting lost in the Whispering Woods could lead to something good, huh?” Adora had to agree. From the outside, she wouldn’t have thought that you could ever find a place so beautiful and peaceful in such a dark-looking forest. 

Catra went ahead, hopping from rock to rock towards the center of the pond. Adora followed suit, but she was a little more cautious with where she was stepping. She climbed up onto the big rock, sitting cross-legged beside Catra. 

“When did you find this place?” Adora asked, as she looked out at the water all around them.

“A couple of years ago. I was taking a walk to clear my head and think about...some things, and I ended up stumbling across this place.” Catra lied down on her back, shutting her eyes. “I’ve been coming here whenever I want to think ever since.”   


Speaking of, Adora had just remembered why they were here in the first place. Honestly, a part of her wanted them to just stay like this right now. Relaxing in the midday sun, no need to talk about souls or lack thereof. Just enjoying being with her. But alas, Adora did still have questions, and it would probably be best for her to know the answers to them before she drove herself nuts.

“You said that you usually take parts of people’s souls, right?” Adora started. “Does that...hurt people?”

“Not physically, no,” Catra replied. She opened her eyes and sat up, leaning back on her hands and looking up at the sky as a cloud passed overhead. “They usually just feel off for a while, in an emotional sense. They might find themselves feeling more numb and apathetic towards things they normally care a lot about. They’re just generally less emotional and empathetic for a while.”

“But it’s not permanent, not if it’s only a small piece that’s gone. As time goes on, they’ll start to kinda “regrow” their soul, as they live through new experiences, make new relationships with people, feel intense emotions, and just generally live life.” Catra looked down at her feet. “I don’t really know that much about it. Normally, I just...take a piece of their soul, and I never see them again after the fact.”

Well, it was a relief to know Catra wasn’t causing any irreversible damage. On the topic of souls, though, that led to another question. 

“So, what about you? Does that mean that you can’t feel any...intense emotions?” Adora asked, leaning back on her own hands in the same way Catra was.

“I...I don’t think I…” Catra’s eyes were stuck on Adora’s as she trailed off. For a moment, they gazed at one another in silence, sounds of the forest faint in the background. Catra’s face colored a little. 

“Usually, not, uh, not really. But…” Was it Adora’s imagination, or did Catra just glance down at Adora’s lips? Another moment passed. Their gazes were still fixed on one another. When Catra spoke again, her voice was quiet, a whisper. “...I don’t know anymore.”

Was it bad, how much Adora wanted to kiss her right now? They were so close, too. Catra, Adora, maybe both of them, had leaned in while Catra was talking. Catra’s eyes flitted down to Adora’s lips, Adora was sure of it now. She had done the same, twice now. 

They were so close. 

Adora’s lips had just touched Catra’s, when Catra hesitated. She pulled back, enough to look Adora in the eyes - but not far. 

“Adora,” she said. “Are...are you sure about this? Do you still- do you still want…” Adora knew the end of the sentence, without Catra needing to say it out loud.  _ Do you still want me? _

Adora smiled. “Yeah. Yeah, I do.”

Adora internally regretted that she hadn’t came up with a better way to say it, but her mind was quickly occupied by other things when Catra closed the distance between them. Adora’s hands immediately went to Catra, resting on her shoulders. She was content to let them be, to just let them move with one another in the most heavenly way. This wasn’t rushed, wasn’t pulling each other impossibly closer in desperate passion. It was a long, slow kiss. And right now, Adora wouldn’t have it any other way.

Slowly, after what felt like eternity and an instant, Adora pulled away. Some time while they had been kissing, Adora had lied back down, and Catra was now on top of her. She looked down at Adora, her soft, wild hair framing her face. 

And they stayed like that, for just a little bit. And for just that little bit, everything was lovely.

Eventually, to Adora’s dismay, Catra got off of her, hopping off of the rock. “So, uh, unless you’ve got any more questions, we should start heading back,” she said. Adora nodded, the lovestruck smile still on her lips, and followed Catra back to the trail.

All Adora could think about was Catra, the whole way home, and then for the rest of the day. She couldn’t stop smiling. She didn’t want to. It was just too nice for her  _ not _ to smile when she thought about it. 

Later, she remembered that she had, in fact, had other questions. Namely, whether or not Catra was born a demon, and if she would live the rest of her life as one. But she was still on cloud nine then, and besides, she didn’t feel like bringing the mood back down. She would ask Catra next time she saw her. 

But for now? Adora fell asleep that night, the taste of Catra’s lips still on her own, and wondering what it would be like to, maybe one day, wake up next to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story isn't over yet. There's still one thing left to do - and it's not just The Smut.
> 
> If you're enjoying this story, please leave a kudos and a comment - I'm a slut for feedback. Thanks for reading, and have a good rest of your day!


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Catra comes to a long overdue realization, and does some long overdue thinking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternative chapter summary: *gay panic*
> 
> TW: Implied/referenced self harm; it’s not much, but if that makes you uncomfortable, please don’t read this (or, if you want to, skip past the paragraph that starts with “Those first few weeks were some of the worst in Catra’s life”). Stay safe, babes.

Catra had a problem. Well, that in of itself was nothing new - she was a demon, for god’s sake. Of course she had issues. But ever since she and Adora had last talked (had last  _ kissed _ ), there was something new troubling her. Namely, the question Adora has asked her. The one about Catra not having a soul, and how that meant that she shouldn’t be able to feel any strong emotions.

And from what Shadow Weaver had told Catra, back when she first took Catra under her wing, she was right. Without a soul, Shadow Weaver said, a demon can feel emotions to a certain extent, most notably when they have just recently taken a piece of another person’s soul. But the essence of their soul fades away, along with that emotional high, and demons are left with only an echo of it, until they get their hands on another soul.

But that wasn’t what happened, not with Adora - not  _ since _ Adora. How long had it been since Catra had actually taken a part of someone’s soul? About a month, by now. Usually, Catra would do it every two weeks or so, sometimes every week. The soul of her last victim was long past expired. So, in theory, Catra shouldn’t be able to feel any truly serious emotion anymore.

But she could. Thinking about Adora gave her that pleasant butterflies-in-her-stomach feeling, every time. Catra’s mind drifted back to the kiss they had shared that afternoon, and her heart grew warmer. There was no way she should be able to feel  _ this way _ about Adora. It didn’t make sense. She was a soulless demon, love isn’t meant for people like her.

Suddenly, two things dawned on her. It was like being kicked in the stomach, and then slapped in the face.

The first realization: Catra, the soulless succubus, was in love with Adora.

The second:  _ She was in love with Adora. _

Catra’s mind was racing. _ Love. _ That was the word for it. That was the word for how she felt towards Adora, the label she hadn’t been able to find until now. Looking back on it, though, maybe Catra did realize she was in love with Adora - she just couldn’t accept it for what it was. Now, Catra’s thoughts were a whirlwind, revolving around that one, simple sentence.

_ She was in love with Adora. _

And the more Catra thought about it, she realized it was just that - love. Not just a minor crush or a fleeting sexual attraction - Catra had had her fair share of those. No, this was actual, real, full-on “I wanna hold hands with you and kiss you and go on dates together” kind of love. This was something new, something Catra had never really felt before she became a demon, and certainly not since then.

And honestly? Catra’s brain was in panic mode because of it. Realization after realization came crashing down, because holy hell, this actually explained a lot. It explained why Catra kept coming back to Adora, again and again, even though she knew she wasn’t supposed to. Why while normally, Catra rarely smiled, she found it hard  _ not _ to smile in Adora’s presence. Why even when she was worried that Shadow Weaver had found out about her and Adora, the possibility of cutting contact with Adora didn’t even come into her mind. Maybe it even explained why, that fateful morning, Catra chose to spare her.

Okay, so, accepting her feelings, done. Well, not entirely, but she could lay awake and ponder that later. Another, more urgent matter had came up: what the hell should she do about it now?

Well, telling Adora how she felt was off the table. Sure, she knew that Adora was attracted to her in a sexual way. Catra was no stranger to people being sexually attracted to her, and she was pretty certain that Adora was one of these people. And she saw Catra as a friend, too - she wouldn’t have put up with Catra for this long if that wasn’t the case. But the idea of telling her this was too overwhelming to think about, at least for now. Hell,  _ Catra  _ wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about this new revelation; it was way too soon to confess it.

That left her with one last option, and that was to keep it inside, or at least until she understood these feelings better. That idea calmed Catra a little. Yeah, she could do that. No need to take action right now. No need to do anything but think. 

Which led Catra back to her first realization: Catra was a demon. She was supposed to be a soulless, mostly emotionless, monster. The only time Catra had ever felt something similar to this was while she was high on the energy of her latest victim’s soul, but even then, it was  _ nothing _ compared to this. 

When she was enjoying the privilege of emotion, it wasn’t always a positive experience. One of the best times was not long after Catra had first become a succubus. Her first prey. She took a piece of his soul (a sleazy, rich man - an easy target, albeit not the most enjoyable one), and left. 

That day, Catra was full of energy, full of life and the joy of living it. It had been several years since then. Nowadays, it was harder and harder for Catra to properly enjoy a soul high. She wanted to reach that level of ecstasy again, but the most she got was a pleasant contentment.

Looking back on it now, Catra had been happier during the last month or so than she had been for over a year. She hadn’t ever been as happy as she was that first day. Not until she met Adora.

But then that begged the question, why? Or more importantly, how? Because this would be a whole lot easier to understand and accept if Catra  _ wasn’t _ a soulless demon, and supposedly incapable of feeling love. That’s what Shadow Weaver had told her, on her first day as a succubus:

“The soul is the emotional center of a being,” she had said. “And so, seeing as you don’t have one, you will only ever be able to experience strong emotions during the period after you have absorbed the soul energy of another. Otherwise, you will feel nothing beyond shallow, surface-level emotions. Things like love, and hatred, and true joy...you will never be able to feel them for over a day.”

Of course, hearing this pissed Catra off. She and Shadow Weaver got into an argument after that, and the only thing stopping Catra from attacking her was the knowledge that Shadow Weaver was a much more experienced - and powerful - demon. That experience was what convinced Catra that all of what Shadow Weaver was telling her was true. 

But even then, Catra wanted to make sure. First, she did some research. At the time, she didn’t have any way to contact another demon; honestly, that was probably for the best. It wasn’t like demons were exactly known to be the kindest people. So instead, Catra read up on succubi in every book she could find. The accounts varied greatly, but the one thing nearly every one could agree on was the fact Catra didn’t want to face: succubi didn’t have souls.

Those first few weeks were some of the worst in Catra’s life, both as a human and a demon. She did a lot of things that she wasn’t proud of. She did everything people normally did when they were looking for a thrill and felt like they had nothing to lose. She drank, and she tried some harder things. She took risks whenever she could, even the stupid ones. And when trying to get an emotional response from herself didn’t work, she tried something more physical. She still had the scars from that.

But nothing worked. She could feel things on a physical level, sure. She could be energetic, she could get tired. She could have orgasms. She could feel pain. But no matter what she did, that void in her chest was never filled. That is, until she finally gave in and took a piece of someone’s soul. And from then on, whenever Catra felt that familiar craving, she would head out to the nearest bar and find someone she could take from.

So what was different this time? Why, only now, only with  _ Adora _ , could she feel something deeper? She couldn’t exactly go to Shadow Weaver for help. And she wasn’t getting anywhere by herself.

Suddenly, Catra remembered something - or rather, someone. She might not have had any demons other than Shadow Weaver to go to when she first became a succubus, but now, she knew someone she could call.

Catra picked up her phone, and scrolled through her contacts until she came across the one she needed. She held the phone up to her ear.

“Oh, kitten,” purred the voice on the other end. “It’s been too long since we last talked.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now who might that be?
> 
> Sorry for the short chapter. I was going to include the next bit in this one, but I didn't want it to get too long, so the next chapter will feature both Adora and Catra's POVs. 
> 
> I apologize for the wait. I've been focusing more on drawing than writing lately, but I still have a lot of love for this story, so I'm definitely going to keep going with this one. I've still got some things I want to do with this story, namely plot - yes, this will be more than just these two idiots mutually pining for one another - and smut. Things probably won't get too angsty, but it's gonna have to get worse before it gets better here. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this! And if you did, please leave a kudos, and if you really wanna make my day, a comment! I love hearing what you guys think about this piece, seeing as it's my longest work on here, and my first multi-chapter one, too. Thanks for reading, and have a great day!


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Author's note.

Hey guys, I apologize for the long wait.

I'm so sorry, but I don't think I'm going to continue with this fic. I thought I should put that down here, just so I don't get people's hopes up. I really did like the idea I had for this fic, but I've just lost steam with it. There's several other fandoms I'm in now, ones that I really wanna write something for. And I just don't really enjoy writing stuff for this fic anymore.

Don't get me wrong, I still love She-Ra; it's still an amazing show, and I will forever be a Catradora stan. But I've just kinda lost that same enthusiasm I had for it when I first started this fic. I think I'm probably better off writing one-chapter pieces, and writing fanfic when I want to, instead of setting myself to a schedule. Maybe I'll try a multi-chapter one again someday, but maybe with a clearer picture of where it's going - and probably a shorter plot.

I'll be marking this as finished soon. I'm sorry, guys. I really want to give my thanks to everyone who has written nice comments on this work - hell, some of you were dedicated enough to leave a comment on literally every single chapter. Comments really do inspire me, and it just warms my heart whenever I read all the kind things you guys have said. Thank you for sticking with me, and I'm sorry if this is disappointing for you. But I think that if I forced myself to keep writing, I'd just end up really unhappy with it, and I don't think the resulting chapters would be as enjoyable to read, either.

You can certainly expect more fanfics from me, but chances are, they won't be She-ra related. Still, I hope some of you guys will see the newer ones I make, and I hope you'll enjoy them.

Thanks for reading, everyone, and have a good day!

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this idea in my head for a while, so here it is!  
> Don't worry, this chapter is mostly just for the purpose of setting things up, we'll get to the juicy stuff next chapter  
> If you liked this, please leave a comment and/or a kudos! I look forward to writing more of this, so expect the second chapter before too long. Thanks for reading, and as always, have a good day!


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